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BASKET  BALL 


BY 


EDWIN  J.  MATHER 

BASKET    BALL    COACH 
UNIVERSITY    OF   MICHIGAN 


AND 

ELMER   D.  MITCHELL 

DIRECTOR    OF    INTRAMURAL    ATHLETICS 
UNIVERSITY   OF    MICHIGAN 


Published   by 
Charles  w,  Graham 

Ann  Arbor,  IV4ick^gan 
Graham    Book    Stores 


ANN  ARBOR,  MICHIGAN 
June,  1922 


<^ 


Copyright,  1922 


PREFACE 

THE  present  work  attempts  to  fulfill  two  objects.  First,  to  give  a 
review  of  basket  ball  in  general,  in  order  th-at  it  may  be  helpful  to  the 
beginner.  Therefore,  it  covers  the  fundamentals  of  the  game,  and 
discusses  in  a  general  way  the  different  styles  of  offense  and  defense, 
so  that  the  new  coach  may  find  a  groundwork  upon  which  he  may  later 
incorporate  his  own  ideas.  Secondly,  it  attempts  the  more  ambitious  pur- 
pose, so  often  neglected  in  athletic  textbooks,  of  serving  the  experienced 
coach  as  well,  by  going  into  the  complete  details  of  finished  teamplay, 
and  by  doing  so  to  show  the  way  in  which  plays  are  related  into  a  dis- 
tinctive system. 

Every  source  of  information  has  been  sought  in  order  to  cover  com- 
pletely the  whole  field  of  basket  ball.  The  writers  have  observed  the 
teams  of  the  Western  Conference,  and  of  the  Eastern  Intercollegiate, 
also  professional  teams  of  national  prominence,  as  well  as  championship 
high-school  teams  assembled  together  at  state  tournaments.  One  inter- 
esting thing  that  has  been  noticed  is  the  increasing  ability  of  our  coaches. 
Better  teams  are  being  placed  on  the  floor.  Particularly  gratifying  is  the 
constant  improvement  in  sportsmanship  that  is  being  evidenced  on  the 
part  of  both  players  and  crowds. 

The  beginning  coach  today  starts  out  with  a  distinct  advantage. 
Information  on  the  inside  strategy  of  basket  ball,  for  a  long  time  held 
back  in  a  secretive  manner,  is  now  being  scattered  about  freely  through 
new  textbooks  and  through  coaching  courses  given  at  university  summer 
schools.  With  basket  ball  games  being  scouted  similarly  to  the  way  foot- 
ball games  are  reported  on,  it  is  practically  impossible  for  a  coach  to 
keep  one  system  to  himself.  Other  teams  will  find  it  out;  will  copy  it 
and  plan  defenses  for  it.  Therefore  the  successful  coach  has  been  more 
ready  to  discuss  his  ideas  on  basket  ball. 

In  writing  this  work,  account  has  been  taken  of  the  fact  that  basket 
ball  is  a  changing  game,  in  a  state  of  evolution.  For  a  while  a  certain 
style  of  play  will  be  in  universal  favor,  and  then  as  methods  are  found 
to  circumvent  this,  a  new  style  will  gradually  supplant  it.  However,  there 
are  certain  fundamentals  and  principles  that  must  remain  standard,  and 
the  book  has  given  especial  stress  to  these. 

The  writers  appreciate  the  help  that  has  been  given  them.  To  Archie 
Hahn,  varsity  trainer  at  the  University  of  Michigan,  and  to  William 
Fallon,  a  trainer  of  the  1920  American  Olympic  team,  acknowledgment 
is  due  for  valuable  information  along  the  lines  of  training  and  conditioning 
men.  Many  coaches  have  contributed  in  the  sense  that  their  ideas  have 
been  borrowed  and  incorporated  into  this  work. 

496380 


PAGE 


CONTENTS 

Preface    v 

I.     Review  of  the  Game .      .      i 

11.     Nature  of  the  Game 3 

III.  Equipment  of  Court  for  Game 7 

1.  The  Playing  Area 7 

2.  Lighting 7 

3.  Bleachers 8 

4.  Construction  of  backboards,  goals,  and  nets     ...  8 

5.  Ball 9 

IV.  Equipment  of  Players 10 

1.  General  equipment  for  wear  .  10 

a.  Shoes .10 

b.  Stockings .  10 

c.  Jerseys 11 

d.  Pants II 

e.  Sweat  shirts 11 

2.  Care  of  equipment 11 

3.  Special  equipment  for  protection 12 

a.  Knee  pads 12 

b.  Elbow  pads 12 

c.  Knee  brace 12 

d.  Ankle  brace 12 

e.  Thumb  protectors 12 

f.  Nose  protectors 12 

g.  Mouth  and  teeth  protectors 12 

V.     Conditioning 13 

1.  Diet 13 

2.  Meals  on  day  of  game 15 

3.  Care  of  players  night  of  game 15 

a.  Before  game              15 

b.  During  game             16 

c.  Between  halves 16 

d.  After  game 17 

4-    Sleep 17 

5.  Underweight  and  overweight 19 

6.  Staleness  and  overtraining 19 

7.  Baths  and  rubs 20 


vu 


viii  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

VI.     Injuries  and  Minor  Ailments 22 

1.  Training-room  supplies 22 

2.  Care  of  injuries  and  minor  ailments 23 

a.  Abrasion  or  floor  burn 23 

b.  Deep  cut  or  lacerated  wound 24 

c.  Ordinary  bruise,  and  bone  bruise 24 

d.  Sprains 24 

1.  Figure  eight  bandage 24 

2.  The  basket  splint .      .24 

e.  Bad  arches                 25 

f.  Charley  horse 25 

g.  Tender  feet 26 

h.   Gym  itch 26 

i.     Sideache,  cramps 26 

j.     Diarrhea 26 

k.    Constipation .  27 

1.     Gas  on  stomach 27 

m.  Biliousness  or  nausea 27 

n.    Boils 27 

o.    Colds 27 

p.   Nosebleed 27 

q.    Ruptured  blood  vessel 27 

r.    Wind  knocked  out 28 

s.    Collar  bone  fracture 28 

t.    Torn  ligaments 28 

u.   Water  on  knee 28 

V.    Injury  to  scrotum 28 

w.  Injured  ribs .-28 

VII.     The  Training  Season  .      .      , •  ....  29 

1.  Schedule 29 

2.  Handling  the  squad                        .\. 31 

3.  Practice  sessions  during  the  season 33 

4.  Workout  systems ' 35 

a.  On  fundam^entals 35 

b.  Team        . 38 

c.  Before  games , 39 

VIII.     Fundamentals 41 

1.  Catching 41 

2.  Passing 41 

a.  Underhand 42 

1.  One  hand  . 42 

2.  Two  hands 42 


CONTENTS  ix 


b.  Overhand 42 

1.  One  hand  .  . ~  42 

2.  Two  hands 43 

c.  Overhead -43 

d.  Special  passes 43 

1.  Push 43 

2.  Hook 44 

3.  Sidearm 44 

4.  Bounce 44 

5.  Behind  back .45 

e.  Length  of  passes 46 

1.  Long 46 

2.  Short 46 

f.  General  hints  on  passing .47 

3.  Shooting 47 

a.  Underhand  loop 48 

b.  Overhand 49 

c.  Carom 50 

d.  Special  shots 51 

1.  Overhead  toss 51 

2.  Hook 51 

3.  Push .51 

e.  General  hints  on  shooting 52 

f.  Foul  line  shooting 53 

4.  The  Rebound 54 

5.  The  Dribble      . 56 

a.  Uses  of 56 

b.  Technique:  how  to  dribble 58 

6.  Blocking 59 

a.  Legal  use.      .     " 59 

b.  Diagrams       .      .    '  .      .      . 60 

7.  Feints .62 

8.  Stops  and  Pivots 62 

IX.     Positions ...   66 

1.  Forward :      .   66 

a.  OflFensive  work .66 

b.  Defensive  work 68 

2.  Guard  ' 68 

a.  Defensive Jwork 68 

b.  Offensive  work 71 

3.  Center 72 

a.  General  play 72 

b.  The  jump 72 


CONTENTS 


X.     Defense 74 

1.  When  opponents  obtain  ball  during  play 74 

a.  Man-to-man 74 

b.  Nearest  man 75 

c.  Massed  defense 75 

d.  Four-men  massed  defense 78 

e.  Position  or  space  defense 78 

f.  Shifting-space  defense 79 

2.  From  center  when  opponent  is  getting  the  tip-ofF.  .  81 

3.  Out  of  bounds  when  opponents  have  ball 83 

4.  Foul  line 84 

XI.     Offense 86 

1.  Center  plays 86 

a.  Forward 86 

b.  Forward  to  guard  87 

c.  Guard  up 88 

d.  Shifts  ...  90 

e.  Signals .-     .    90 

1.  Method  of  giving 90 

2.  Who  should  give 91 

2.  Out-of-bound  plays 91 

a.  Under  own  basket 93 

b.  On  side-lines 95 

1.  Own  half  of  floor 95 

2.  Opponents'  half  of  floor 95 

c.  Under  opponents'  basket    .  .  .96 

3.  Foul  line  plays 96 

4.  General  styles  of  teamplay 96 

5.  Breaking  through  five-men  massed  defense       ....  100 

XII.     Miscellaneous 104 

1.  Special  peculiarities  of  players 104 

2.  Special  peculiarities  of  the  playing  floor 104 

3.  Special  peculiarities  of  opponents'  play 105 

4.  Progress  of  game 107 

5.  General 109 


Basket  Ball 

CHAPTER  I 

Review  of  the  Game 

BASKET  BALL  is  America's  national  indoor  game.  It  has  the  same 
widespread  appeal  in  the  winter  time  that  baseball  has  in  the  sum- 
mer; the  sports  being  alike  in  their  adaptability  for  use  by  any  kind  of 
group.  Not  only  do  boys  of  school  age  play  basket  ball,  but  men  of  mature 
age  find  the  game  fully  as  interesting.  Girls,  too,  play  under  modified 
rules  which  lessen  the  amount  of  the  running  to  be  done.  The  players  of 
the  game  are  found  affiliated  with  grammar  schools,  playgrounds,  high 
schools,  colleges,  athletic  clubs,  churches,  Y.  M.  C.  A.s,  community  cen- 
ters, professional  organizations,  and  industrial  concerns — no  other  sport 
can  show  a  more  democratic  following. 

Today,  schools  and  playgrounds  are  playing  basket  ball  on  out-of- 
door  spaces,  so  that  the  game  is  in  use  all  the  year  through.  On  the  whole, 
the  game  is  too  strenuous  to  be  suited  for  midsummer. 

The  rapid  spread  of  basket  ball  in  foreign  countries  makes  it  safe  to 
predict  that  the  sport  will  in  time  become  an  international  game,  holding 
the  same  sort  of  enviable  position  that  the  English  game  of  soccer  now 
enjoys.  Already,  through  the  work  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  foreign  lands,  it 
has  become  popularized  in  China,  Japan,  the  Philippines,  and  the  A.  B.  C. 
nations  of  South  America.  The  recreation  commissions  attending  our 
armies  during  the  war  were  helpful  in  teaching  the  game  to  the  English, 
French,  and  Italian  peoples. 

This  growth  is  all  the  more  phenomenal  when  one  considers  that 
basket  ball  is  but  thirty  years  old.  It  is  the  youngest  of  our  prominent 
sports.  It  is  different  from  others  in  that  it  is  a  deliberate  invention. 
Other  games  have  had  a  gradual  growth,  such  as  track,  which  goes  back 
to  the  ancients,  and  football,  which  shows  traits  of  customs  centuries  old. 
Baseball,  too,  evolved  slowly  out  of  the  English  games  of  rounders  and 
cricket.  But  basket  ball  originated  as  recently  as  1892,  being  the  creation 
of  Dr.  James  Naismith  at  the  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
School,  who  had  in  mind  the  need  of  a  popular  winter  game.  Instructors 
graduating  from  Springfield  were  naturally  interested  in  promoting  the 
new  sport,  which  immediately  proved  more  popular  than  the  gymnastic 
work  which  had  previously  been  the  favored  type  of  exercise  in  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
floor  classes. 

The  first  set  of  rules  was  published  in  1893.  At  first  there  was  great 
confusion,  as  the  different  organizations  did  not  get  together  to  standardize 
the  play.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.s  were  very  strict  and  technical  in  their  appli- 
cation of  the  rules,  while  the  athletic    clubs    and    professional   leagues, 


1::'^*   ::    : -V.  ../  BASKET    BALL 


many  of  which  quickly  sprang  up  in  the  East,  allowed  the  game  to  go  to 
the  other  extreme.  The  favorite  professional  type  of  game  did  not  permit 
any  out  of  bounds,  and  became  known  as  the  '*cage  game,"  the  playing 
space  being  enclosed  by  a  net.  When  the  colleges  took  up  the  game,  the 
Eastern  Intercollegiate  League  being  organized  in  1901,  and  the  Western 
Conference  in  1905,  a  third  interpretation  of  the  game  was  added.  This 
conflicting  division  of  interests,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  A.  A.  U.,  and  the 
Collegiate,  was  brought  to  an  end  in  1915,  when  a  joint  committee  was 
formed  and  the  game  standardized.  This  has  been  a  great  boon  to  the 
development  of  the  game.  It  did  away  with  the  confusion  and  bickering 
which  had  previously  prevailed  when  teams  representing  different  types 
of  organization  tried  to  meet. 

Basket  ball  today  has  progressed  to  the  point  where  future  growth  is 
dependent  upon  increased  facilities  for  handling  crowds.  The  past  few 
seasons  have  witnessed  crowds  so  large  that  the  gymnasium  attendances 
have  had  to  be  limited.  Schools  that  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  pos- 
sess gymnasiums  with  large  floor  space  and  seating  capacity  can  rank 
basket  ball  along  with  football  as  being  a  paying  sport.  It  will  not  be 
surprising  if  colleges  will  have  to  erect  special  auditoriums  for  basket  ball 
alone,  as  crowds  from  5,000  to  10,000  can  be  counted  upon  as  desiring  to 
attend  the  important  contests. 


CHAPTER  II 

Nature  of  the  Game 

THE  reasons  for  the  great  popularity  of  basket  ball  are  apparent. 
They  are  found  in  the  simplicity  of  the  rules,  which  allow  the  novice 
to  quickly  understand  the  play,  and  in  the  nearness  of  the  specta- 
tors to  the  playing  court,  so  that  every  move  of  the  players  can  be  seen  and 
followed.  The  action  is  fast,  and  with  scoring  often  coming  in  flurries, 
there  is  always  the  element  of  uncertainty.  These,  combined  with  untold 
possibilities  for  both  individual  skill  and  finished  teamwork,  make  for 
a  game  comprising  all  the  essentials  that  hold  the  onlookers'  interest. 
Naturally  the  same  qualities  would  appeal  to  the  playeri  In  addition, 
there  is  the  asset  that  basket  ball  possesses  an  impromptu  style 
of  teamplay,  as  later  explained.  Players  can  enjoy  playing  together 
without  holding  the  long  practice  drills  necessary  to  acquire  an  offense 
for  football  play.  This  makes  it  useful  as  a  popular  class  game  as  well 
as  one  where  skilled  representative  teams  compete.  Other  factors  which 
make  basket  ball  an  easy  game  to  promote  for  all  occasions  are  the  small 
number  of  men  needed  to  make  a  team  (live),  the  limited  space  needed  to 
play  the  game,  which  suits  it  for  indoor  purposes,  and  the  cheapness  of 
the  necessary  playing  outfits. 

The  rules  of  basket  ball  are  few,  and  the  burden  on  the  official  is  not 
so  much  to  be  familiar  with  them,  as  to  use  sound  judgment  in  their 
application.  The  two  opposing  teams  of  five  men  to  a  side,  play  on  a  rec- 
tangular floor  space  adapted  to  the  size  of  the  hall.  A  round,  leather- 
covered  inflated  ball  is  used.  The  team  in  possession  of  the  ball  attempts 
to  advance  up  the  floor  by  passing  or  dribbling,  the  latter  meaning  the 
bouncing  of  the  ball  against  the  floor  with  the  hand — in  no  other  way  is 
the  player  allowed  to  continue  his  progress  with  the  ball  in  his  possession. 
On  getting  within  close  proximity  of  their  own  basket,  the  offensive  players 
will  attempt  to  throw  the  ball  into  the  goal,  which  is  suspended  parallel 
to  the  floor,  so  that  the  ball  must  enter  from  above.  Teamwork  consists 
in  a  team's  ability  to  develop  concerted  skill  in  passing  and  drjbbHng.  If 
the  ball  should  be  carried  or  thrown  outside  the  boundaries  of  the  court, 
it  goes  into  the  free  possession  of  an  opponent  to  the  player  last  touching 
it.     The  opponent  returns  it  to  play. 

Whenever  a  goal  (also  called  basket)  is  made,  two  points  are  counted 
for  the  scoring  team.  Another  method  of  scoring  is  through  the  foul 
throw,  which  is  made  at  the  expense  of  the  team  which  makes  an  infrac- 
tion of  the  rules.  The  penalty  is  a  free  shot  from  a  mark  fifteen  feet  away 
from  the  basket,  and  if  successful,  one  point  is  counted.  Fouls  are  of  two 
kinds:  personal,  which  include  holding,  pushing,  tripping,  and  others  of 
like  nature  bringing  in  the  element  of  bodily  contact;  and  technical,  which 
involve  such  violations  as  advancing  the  ball  without  passing  or  drib- 


BASKET     BALL 


bling,  stopping  a  dribble  and  then  recontinuing  it,  delaying  the  game, 
unsportsmanlike  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  crowd,  etc.  The  rules  at- 
tempt to  discourage  personal  fouls  by  limiting  the  number  that  a  player 
may  commit  without  being  removed  from  the  game.  The  rules  now  allow 
but  four  such  offenses. 

The  team  on  defense  attempts  to  prevent  a  score  by  covering  the 
opponents  so  as  to  intercept  passes,  if  possible,  or  to  obstruct  the  dribbler's 
path  without  making  a  foul  of  bodily  contact,  or  to  get  a  "held  ball" 
with  one  of  the  opposing  players.  In  the  case  of  a  held  ball,  the  referee 
blows  his  whistle,  and  then  throws  the  ball  up  between  the  contesting 
players.  This  gives  each  team  a  chance  to  obtain  possession  of  the  ball, 
as  each  jumper  endeavors  to  tap  it  to  one  of  his  teammates. 

The  game  is  divided  into  two  halves  of  twenty  minutes  each.  Between 
the  halves  there  is  a  ten-minute  intermission.  The  two  teams  alternate 
positions  at  the  start  of  the  second  half,  so  that  they  shoot  for  the  basket 
defended  during  the  first  half.  In  the  case  of  a  tie  game,  an  additional 
five  minutes,  called  "overtime,"  is  played. 

Players  vary  in  their  abilities  to  fulfill  the  different  requirements  of 
the  game,  some  being  suited  for  shooting,  others  for  defensive  play,  and 
some  combine  both  requisites.  The  five  men  are  divided  into  two  forwards, 
upon  whom  most  of  the  brunt  of  the  shooting  falls,  two  guards,  and  one 
center.  If  the  center,  in  addition  to  having  all  around  ability,  can  add 
height  as  an  asset  in  his  favor,  he  is  indeed  a  valuable  man,  as  on  the  toss 
of  the  ball  at  center,  which  follows  every  score,  he  can  tip  the  ball  to  a 
teammate  and  start  a  play. 

Much  of  the  success  of  a  game  is  dependent  upon  the  officials  who  are 
in  charge.  The  calling  of  fouls  in  many  cases  rests  upon  the  referee's 
judgment,  and  if  he  is  too  strict  and  calls  too  many,  the  game  is  apt  to 
become  slow  and  uninteresting,  while  on  the  other  hand,  if  he  calls  too 
few  fouls,  the  play  easily  becomes  too  rough  and  teamwork  is  made 
impossible.  The  expert  referee  is  one  who  can  control  the  game  at  all 
times,  sensing  the  difference  between  hard  play  and  fouling,  drawing  the 
margin  so  that  the  game  can  be  both  fast  and  clean.  For  the  more  impor- 
tant games  an  umpire  is  often  added.  His  presence  allows  the  referee  to 
follow  the  ball  more  closely,  as  the  latter  official  is  then  aware  that  fouls 
committed  behind  his  back  will  be  taken  care  of. 

The  same  referee  will  vary  on  different  occasions  as  to  the  strictness 
with  which  he  administers  fouls,  depending  upon  the  alertness  with  which 
his  mind  is  working.  This  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  he  will  not  be  a 
successful  official  in  the  different  cases — the  vital  thing  is  that  he  is  con- 
sistent, so  that  the  players  will  understand  what  will  be  called  fouls,  and 
what  will  not. 

As  regards  classification,  basket  ball  is  most  similar  to  the  group  of 
games  of  which  soccer,  lacrosse,  and  hockey  are  best  known.  In  each  of 
these  there  is  the  object  to  score  a  goal  through  accuracy  of  aim.    In  this 


NATURE  OF  THE  GAME 


respect,  the  place-kick  in  football  and  in  English  rugby  is  similar.  Base- 
ball has  no  comparing  features.  The  similarity  to  soccer,  lacrosse,  and 
hockey  grows  when  one  notes  that  in  none  of  these  games  is  the  individual 
player  allowed  to  carry  the  ball — the  opposite  of  football — except  through 
the  dribble  play,  which  in  soccer  is  done  with  the  feet,  and  in  basket  ball 
by  bouncing  the  ball  as  the  player  makes  progress.  These  games  also  have 
the  free  try  at  goal  as  a  penalty  for  rule,  infractions.  One  important 
differing  feature  of  basket  ball  is  that  it  does  not  have  an  *' offside"  rule; 
which  in  practically  all  other  running  games  places  restrictions  on  the 
players  of  the  offensive  side  who  are  ahead  of  the  ball. 

The  game,  because  of  its  newness,  involves  coordinations  which  are 
racially  new.  In  its  performance  it  calls  upon  many  of  the  finer  muscles 
of  the  body  for  the  display  of  skill  and  dexterity  which  are  found  when 
experienced  players  meet.  The  use  of  these  muscles  involves  a  much 
greater  discharge  of  nervous  energy  than  does  the  same  amount  of  play 
in  football  or  baseball,  where  the  large  fundamental  muscles  of  the  trunk 
and  limbs  are  most  constantly  in  use.  So  that  this  game  quickly  tires  the 
player — he  cannot  stand  nearly  as  much  grind  as  can  the  athlete  in  another 
sport.  The  fact  that  the  game  is  continuous,  carried  on  at  full  speed 
throughout,  and  in  an  indoor  atmosphere,  further  adds  to  its  strenuousness. 
Baseball  players  claim  that  the  most  exhausting  part  of  their  game  is 
that  done  by  the  base-runner  when  caught  between  bases,  because  there 
is  much  stopping,  starting,  and  turning.  This  is  the  type  of  action  that 
the  basket  ball  athlete  endures  for  two  twenty-minute  halves.  Because  of 
the  difference  in  the  type  of  exertion,  the  football  player  who  has  trained 
hard  in  the  fall,  is  not  necessarily  able  to  turn  from  that  sport  and  find 
himself  immediately  in  condition  to  play  the  winter  game. 

The  ideal  basket  ball  player  is  tall.  In  no  other  game  is  height  such  a 
helpful  asset.  While  speed  and  strength  are  valuable,  they  are  of  little 
avail  unless  combined  with  shiftiness.  A  slow  runner  who  is  shifty,  will 
develop  into  a  basket  ball  player  more  easily  than  the  runner  who  is  speedy 
in  the  straight-away  only.  It  takes  time  to  develop  the  basket  ball  type; 
especially  so  for  the  men  who  carry  the  offensive.  To  score,  they  must  be 
clever  at  dodging,  at  footwork,  and  at  feints;  and  their  minds  must  work 
with  lightning-like  rapidity.  The  play  takes  but  a  fraction  of  a  second — 
in  that  time  they  must  decide  whether  to  pass,  to  dribble,  or  to  shoot; 
and  having  decided,  there  must  be  the  instantaneous  response  of  bodily 
movement.  Coordination  is  all-important — the  basket  ball  player  must  be 
graceful.  No  dancer  has  better  control  of  bodily  movement  than  has  the 
star  player  in  this  sport. 

Turning  to  the  style  of  play,  it  will  be  noticed  that  teamwork  is  re- 
quired just  as  much  as  in  football  or  baseball.  Yet  the  teamwork  is  of  a 
different  nature,  being  more  impromptu;  that  is,  the  plays  develop  spon- 
taneously as  the  game  goes  on,  and  openings  occur.  In  football,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  plays  are  set  and  rigid,  and  each  player  has  a  prescribed 


BASKET    BALL 


part  in  their  fulfillment.  There  are  pauses  between  plays,  and  standard 
lineups  of  both  defense  and  offense  occur  in  the  meanwhile.  The  new  play 
starts  with  a  definite  purpose.  When  you  find  a  versatile  player  in  foot- 
ball starting  to  run  with  the  ball,  and  not  deciding  on  his  course  of  action 
until  the  opponents  have  disclosed  their  defense, — then  suddenly  electing 
to  run  with  the  ball,  kick,  forward  pass,  or  bluff  pass,  as  the  case  may  be — 
then  you  have  in  football  a  type  of  teamwork  that  approximates  that  of 
basket  ball.  It  is  the  type  that  places  more  reliance  on  the  player  than  on 
the  coach.  In  football,  however,  there  are  but  few  men  whom  the  coach 
will  entrust  with  such  responsibiHty.  In  basket  ball  he  has  to  intrust  this 
to  all  of  his  players,  because  with  but  few  exceptions — such  as  the  jump 
at  center,  or  the  out-of-bounds  delay — do  they  have  the  chance  to  pause 
and  adjust  themselves  to  a  practiced  lineup. 

Because  of  the  style  of  teamwork  that  basket  ball  possesses,  coaches 
have  progressed  more  rapidly  with  the  defense  than  with  the  offense. 
That  is  why  the  five-men  defense,  where  every  one  of  the  players  of  the 
team  assists,  has  become  most  popular  with  the  majority  of  teachers. 
(This  has  made  long  shooting  almost  a  necessity.)  Only  when  coaches 
have  heady  and  experienced  players,  who  can  be  allowed  responsibility  of 
judgment,  is  the  defense  loosened.  The  coaches  are  constantly  at  work 
striving  to  make  the  offense  more  dependent  upon  their  own  idea  of 
strategy.  Advances  along  this  line,  however,  will  not  be  at  the  sacrifice 
of  the  individual  judgment  and  initiative  of  the  player,  for  although 
they  may  aid  him  in  quickly  locating  his  teammates,  thus  adding  to  the 
speed  and  deception  of  the  teamwork,  yet  there  will  always  be  the  possi- 
bility of  more  than  one  course  of  action,  with  the  individual  player  forced 
to  make  a  decision  as  to  the  proper  move  to  make  when  the  time  arises. 


CHAPTER  III 

Equipment  of  Court  for  Game 

1.  The  Playing  Area 

The  rules  provide  for  a  maximum  and  a  minimum  size  of  court,  but 
it  is  always  advisable  to  lay  out  the  largest  possible  legal  court,  as  bas- 
ket ball  is  an  open  game  and  requires  plenty  of  space  to  develop  its  full 
possibilities. 

It  is  essential  that  the  playing  space  should  be  free  from  obstruction 
such  as  posts,  which  not  only  interfere  with  pass  work,  but  are  very 
dangerous  to  the  players.  Low  hanging  beams  spoil  the  long  loop  shots, 
which  are  a  spectacular  feature  of  the  game.  Any  undesirable  features  of 
this  kind  make  the  court  essentially  a  "home  court"  and  cause  the  visit- 
ing teams  to  play  under  a  distinct  disadvantage. 

The  floor  should  not  be  covered  with  wax  or  any  material  which 
makes  a  slippery  finish.  On  the  day  of  the  game  it  is  well  to  have  the 
floor  mopped  so  that  the  players  will  have  a  more  secure  footing,  and  the 
spectators  will  be  saved  the  annoyance  of  a  dusty  atmosphere. 

The  boundaries  of  the  court,  according  to  the  rules,  should  be  at  all 
points  at  least  three  feet  from  any  obstruction,  but  this  distance  should 
be  increased  at  the  ends,  as  players  often  run  out  of  bounds  at  full  speed 
after  attempting  a  shot  for  the  basket. 

The  rules  provide  that  the  boundary  lines  should  be  "well  defined." 
It  is  important  that  the  color  of  the  lines  be  in  contrast  with  the  floor.  As 
a  general  rule,  the  dark  colored  lines  will  be  most  easily  distinguished, 
especially  at  night  under  artificial  lights. 

2.  Lighting 

The  lighting  should  be  evenly  distributed  over  the  entire  court,  and  should 
be  well  diffused,  so  that  there  will  be  no  direct  glare  in  the  players'  eyes. 

Tungsten  or  nitrogen  electric  lamps,  arranged  either  singly  or  in  clus- 
ters, are  to  be  preferred  to  the  flaming  arc,  as  the  latter  gives  a  strongly 
concentrated  light,  and  casts  dense  shadows. 

It  is  very  objectionable  to  have  a  strong  light  directly  over  the  baskets. 
On  the  other  hand,  all  the  light  should  not  be  concentrated  in  the  middle 
of  the  court.  In  the  latter  case,  where  very  strong  lights  are  used,  it  is 
well  to  have  smaller  lights  at  the  ends  of  the  court,  and  located  toward 
the  corners. 

Reflectors  add  to  the  efficiency  of  the  lighting  system,  but  are  not 
essential.  The  lights  should  he  screened  or  caged  for  protection  against 
the  ball,  and  placed  as  high  as  possible  without  interfering  with  their 
effectiveness.  Opaque  or  frosted  globes  are  helpful  in  reducing  direct 
glare,  but  a  comparatively  higher  candle-power  is  required  than  in  the 
case  of  the  plain  globes. 


8  BASKET    BALL 


3.  Bleachers 

The  companies  that  deal  in  the  manufacture  of  bleachers  are  always 
glad  to  furnish  specifications  to  meet  any  individual  conditions.  Two  of 
the  largest  companies  are  the  Narragansett  Machine  Co.  of  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  and  the  Leavitt  Manufacturing  Co.  of  Champaign,  Illinois. 
It  is  well  to  keep  in  mind  the  fact  that  comfortable  bleacher  seats  should 
not  be  less  than  ten  inches  in  width,  and  that  a  person  seated  occupies 
about  eighteen  inches  of  space  on  the  bleacher.  The  best  types  of  bleachers 
are  provided  with  footrests. 

4.  Backboards,  Goals,  and  Nets 

Local  variations  in  backboards  and  baskets  make  one  of  the  most 
serious  difficulties  that  visiting  teams  must  face.  The  backboards  most 
frequently  used  are  of  wood;  they  should  present  an  absolutely  smooth 
surface,  and  should  be  painted  white. 

Plate  glass  backboards  are  very  expensive  but  are  desirable  where 
bleachers  are  placed  at  the  ends  of  the  court,  and  by  allowing  spectators 
an  unobstructed  view  of  the  court,  they  make  these  seats  more  desirable 
than  they  otherwise  would  be.  The  glass  backboards  are  very  *'live" 
and  resilient.  Where  the  glass  banks  are  used  regularly  it  is  a  good  pre- 
caution to  have  wood  backstops  placed  crosswise  of  the  gymnasium, 
so  that  the  team  can  practice  on  wood  banks  when  they  know  they  are 
to  meet  them  away  from  home. 

The  backboards,  regardless  of  the  material  used,  should  be  well  braced, 
to  conform  to  the  rule  which  demands  that  they  be  rigid.  The  rigid  back- 
board tests  the  two  opposing  teams  on  their  actual  merit  in  shooting,  by 
making  impossible  the  many  straightaway  slam  shots  which  poor  shooters 
can  make  on  banks  that  give  way.  The  rigid  backboard  necessitates  that 
the  shots  are  high  arched  ones,  otherwise  the  ball  will  rebound  clear  back 
onto  the  playing  floor. 

If  the  backboards  interfere  with  the  carrying  on  of  other  gymnasium 
activities,  it  is  well  to  have  them  attached  to  hinged  supports,  so  that 
they  can  be  drawn  up  high  and  parallel  with  the  floor  when  not  in  use. 

The  rings  and  braces  usually  furnished  by  the  sporting  goods  manu- 
facturers are  satisfactory  for  ordinary  use.  However,  they  do  not  stand 
up  under  the  rough  usage  to  which  they  would  be  subjected  on  a  court 
which  is  in  use  throughout  the  entire  day.  The  more  rigid  the  back- 
boards, the  greater  the  likelihood  of  the  lighter  goals  snapping  in  some 
part  under  the  strain.  To  meet  this  condition  the  manufacturers  have 
put  on  the  market  a  goal  of  extra  heavy  construction.  There  is  another 
special  goal  which  is  not  only  extra  heavy  but  which  eliminates  the  side 
braces  that  so  often  interfere  with  the  course  of  the  ball. 

Nets  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  check  the  ball  momentarily  as 
the  goal  is  made.  The  purpose  of  this  provision  is  to  assist  the  officials 
in  determining  whether  the  ball  has  actually  passed  through  the  basket, 


EQUIPMENT  OF  COURT  FOR  GAME 


especially  on  long  throws.  The  nets  commonly  used  are  light  cotton  twine, 
and  the  fact  that  they  are  not  durable  has  led  to  the  substitution  of  nets 
made  of  leather. 

5.   The  Ball 

Any  ball  which  conforms  to  the  specifications  of  the  rules  is  an  official 
ball,  regardless  of  the  firm  by  whom  it  is  manufactured.  In  the  early 
part  of  the  season  the  balls  should  not  be  inflated  too  hard,  not  only  be- 
cause a  new  ball  loses  its  shape  quickly  when  fully  inflated  at  once,  but 
also  on  account  of  the  likelihood  of  injured  thumbs  and  fingers  before 
the  players  have  become  accustomed  to  the  proper  method  of  handling  it. 

It  is  surprising  how  many  arguments  arise  before  a  game  concern- 
ing the  ball  that  is  to  be  used,  and  for  that  reason,  whenever  the  rivalry 
between  two  teams  is  known  to  be  keen,  it  is  best  for  the  home  team  to 
furnish  a  new  ball  that  has  not  been  used  by  either  team  before  play 
actually  starts. 


I 


CHAPTER  IV 
Equipment  of  Players 

IT  pays  to  purchase  the  very  best  equipment.  In  the  long  run,  it  is 
economy;  and,  too,  during  the  period  of  wearing  service,  your  team 
will  make  a  neat  appearance  on  the  floor.  This  makes  the  squad 
members  contented,  as  they  feel  that  they  are  being  given  good  personal 
care  and  consideration;  and  it  also  adds  confidence  in  themselves,  to 
know  that  they  are  well  outfitted.  Once  equipped  in  the  very  best  man- 
ner, it  is  up  to  the  players  to  assist  in  taking  good  care  of  the  uniforms 
that  are  entrusted  to  them. 

I.     General  Equipment  for  Wear 

a.  Shoes.  The  heavy  soled  shoes  of  soft  gum  rubber  with  uppers  of 
drilling  have  come  to  be  the  players'  choice.  The  heavy  soles  protect  the 
feet,  especially  the  heels.  A  plan  often  followed  is  to  let  the  light  men 
use  the  heavy  shoes  in  practice — thus  saving  their  feet — and  lighter  soled 
shoes  in  the  game  so  that  they  can  take  the  utmost  advantage  of  their  speed. 
Shoes  become  heavy  after  being  used  a  lot,  from  perspiration  which  soaks 
into  the  uppers  and  insoles;  and  this  is  the  reason  for  some  players'  having 
on  hand  an  extra  pair,  slightly  worn,  and  broken  in  for  play  in  the  impor- 
tant games.     A  change  of  shoes  is  also  restful  to  the  feet. 

The  type  of  sole  to  give  the  best  footing  is  still  a  matter  of  experiment. 
The  broken  surface  made  by  the  holes  and  ridges  of  the  suction  sole  shoe 
helps  to  give  a  sticking  advantage.  However,  the  manufacturers  have  so 
perfected  the  soft  rubber  process  that  shoes  with  smooth  soles  will  hold  to 
the  floor.  Many  teams  have  a  small  carpet  covered  foot  block  on  which 
powdered  rosin  is  spread  and  then  moistened,  and  the  players  rub  their 
feet  on  this  before  going  on  the  floor.  Scraping  the  sole  so  as  to  roughen 
it  will  help  in  making  the  shoe  take  hold.  Some  coaches  have  had  success 
along  the  line  by  boring  scattered  holes  into  the  sole  with  a  J^  inch  auger. 

An  inner  sole  of  felt  or  cork  is  important  in  protecting  the  feet.  Along 
.this  line  there  is  another  feature  which  aids  in  keeping  the  feet  cool;  that  of 
having  a  series  of  holes  along  the  lower  rim  of  the  shoe,  just  above  the  sole, 
for  ventilating  purposes.  Good  counters  are  necessary  too,  otherwise  the 
shoe  becomes  wide  at  the  heel.  Another  point  of  wearing  value  is  to  have 
small  round  patches  of  leather  sewed  on  the  shoes  at  the  place  where  the 
two  ankles  rub  together. 

The  shoe  that  laces  all  the  way  to  the  toes  is  the  more  comfortable,  as 
it  can  be  laced  to  conform  to  the  feet,  and  players  with  high  insteps  find 
this  style  especially  suited  to  them. 

b.  Stockings.  The  best  plan  is  to  use  a  golf  or  footless  style  of  hose 
and  wear  cheap  sanitary  socks  beneath.  The  undersocks  should  be  heavy 
enough  to  protect  the  soles  of  the  feet  from  blistering.  When  holes  appear 
in  the  undersocks,  the  latter  should  be  discarded  at  once. 

10 


EQUIPMENT  OF  PLAYERS  11 

The  stocking  itself  should  be  of  the  best  grade  wool.  A  good  stocking  is 
elastic  and  will  cling  to  the  leg,  whereas  the  cheaper  grade  loses  its  shape 
after  once  being  stretched. 

Usually  the  stockings  are  kept  up  by  the  knee  pads.  In  case  knee 
pads  are  not  worn,  a  wide  garter  should  be  used  so  as  not  to  impede  the 
circulation,  and  preferably  be  placed  just  below  the  knee,  with  the  remain- 
ing top  of  the  stocking  folded  back  over  it.     This  gives  a  neat  appearance. 

c.  Jerseys.  The  worsted  jersey  is  the  best  as  it  not  only  retains  its 
shape  but  takes  up  the  perspiration  and  does  not  allow  it  to  chill  on  the 
body  as  cotton  does.  The  jersey  of  solid  color  with  the  school  name  or 
monogram  across  the  chest  gives  the  best  appearance.  The  brighter 
colors  are  the  most  practical  for  the  team  play  as  they  stand  out  distinctly 
against  the  dark  background  the  spectators  make,  and  by  doing  so,  aid  the 
men  to  speed  up  their  passing.  Whenever  the  uniforms  of  the  two  oppos- 
ing teams  are  similar,  it  is  advisable  for  one,  usually  the  home  team,  to 
change  to  a  set  of  a  contrasting  color.  The  official  in  charge  of  a  game, 
too,  should  wear  a  color  that  will  not  confuse  the  players  of  either  team  in 
their  passing. 

A  new  style  of  jersey  proving  quite  popular  has  an  adjustable  band 
which  acts  somewhat  as  a  supporter  and  thereby  makes  it  impossible  for 
the  shirt  to  be  pulled  out  of  the  trousers.     This  adds  neatness. 

Jerseys  look  neater  when  they  fit  snugly.  For  comfort  they  should  be 
cut  low  in  the  front  of  the  neck  and  be  roomy  in  the  armholes. 

d.  Pants.  Khaki,  drilling,  baseball  flannel,  or  sateen  are  the  materials 
used.  Baseball  flannel  is  often  used  where  a  color  effect  is  desired  and  it 
rs  easily  washed.  A  second  color  can  be  added  by  running  a  narrow  strip 
of  silk  down  along  the  outseam  of  each  hip,  and  also  if  desired,  around  the 
bottoms  of  the  pants  legs. 

They  should  be  cut  snug  in  the  waist,  with  plenty  of  room  in  the  seat 
and  legs.  The  legs  should  be  cut  short  and  wide.  The  hips  may  be  padded 
lightly.  Of  the  two  styles  of  front,  the  lace  or  button  front,  the  button  is 
more  generally  favored.  Most  pants  have  a  simple  belt  attachment,  made 
of  two  pliable  straps  which  pull  together  in  the  front. 

e.  Sweat  shirts.  These  are  coming  into  general  use,  and  it  is  unusual 
now  to  see  players  coming  on  the  floor  wearing  sweaters  or  jerseys.  The 
sweat  shirt  does  not  allow  the  air  to  penetrate  as  does  the  sweater,  and 
there  is  no  comparison  as  regards  the  greater  benefits  of  the  former  in 
absorbing  the  perspiration.  For  this  reason  the  shirt  is  worn  in  the 
warming  up  process  and  at  times  when  the  player,  after  becoming  heated 
up,  has  to  stand  around. 

2.     Care  of  Equipment 

When  possible  the  varsity  squad  should  have  a  separate  locker  room. 
This  room  should  have  some  provision  for  drying  the  clothes  of  each  player 
after  the  practices  and  games. 


12  BASKET    BALL 


When  traveling,  the  uniform  roll,  which  can  be  purchased  at  any 
sporting  goods  store,  proves  valuable  to  the  player.  By  means  of  it,  the 
sweaty  basket- ball  clothes  can  be  kept  apart  from  his  street  apparel 
and  other  things  he  may  be  carrying.  The  traveling  player  should  be 
instructed  to  stretch  the  playing  clothes  out  at  night  in  the  room  of  the 
hotel.  Dry  clothes  not  only  mean  greater  playing  comfort,  but  longer 
wearing  quality. 

3.     Special  Equipment  for  Protection 

a.  Knee  pads.  Many  players  wear  the  ordinary  elastic  knee  braces. 
They  save  the  knee  from  a  strain  but  are  apt  to  bind.  Added  protection 
from  bruises  is  given  if  these  braces  are  bought  with  vertically  ribbed  felt 
sewed  on  the  front. 

This  type  of  elastic  knee  pad  can  be  improved  by  having  it  made  of  two 
pieces,  instead  of  one,  with  the  lower  part  overlapping  slightly.  This  is  a 
new  style,  just  on  the  market,  and  gives  much  more  freedom  to  the  knee 
movement. 

b.  Elbow  pads.  These  need  not  be  worn  by  all  the  players,  but  some 
should  be  kept  on  hand  to  be  given  out  whenever  a  player  is  injured  at  the 
elbow  joint.  A  practical  pad  is  the  one  made  of  light  leather,  with  sheep- 
wool  attached  to  the  inside,  and  which  has  elastic  at  the  top  and  bottom 
to  hold  it  in  place. 

c.  Knee  brace.  The  tight  elastic  bandage  affords  a  certain  amount  of 
protection.  A  special  brace  of  steel  and  leather  with  hinges  on  the  sides 
is  sold  by  the  manufacturers,  but  it  is  questionable  whether  a  player  who 
is  in  need  of  such  protection  is  benefitting  himself  or  the  team  by  playing 
under  such  a  physical  handicap. 

d.  Ankle  brace.  The  old  style  leather  and  elastic  ankle  braces  are 
cumbersome  in  the  shoe  and  bind  unnecessarily,  and  for  these  reasons  have 
been  almost  entirely  superseded  by  the  bandaging  and  taping  methods 
which  are  explained  under  the  section  on  conditioning. 

e.  Thumb  protectors.  One  method  is  to  have  the  harness-maker  make 
a  leather  guard  for  the  thumb  that  can  lace  on  the  wrist.  A  better  guard 
than  the  above  is  made  of  elastic  tape  or  adhesive  tape,  wrapped  three  or 
four  times  and  finally  secured  by  being  brought  back  from  the  base  of  the 
thumb  up  over  the  top  of  the  thumb,  then  around  the  thumb. 

f.  Nose  protectors.  The  football  nose  guard  is  useful  for  a  man  with  an 
injured  nose.  A  player  must  accustom  himself  to  wearing^this  in  practice 
before  attempting  to  wear  it  in  an  actual  game.  For  simple  bruises  a 
pad  of  cotton  or  felt  secured  by  means  of  adhesive  tape  is  sufficient. 

g.  Mouth  and  teeth  protectors.  The  football  nose  guard  also  gives 
protection  to  the  teeth.  Another  device,  lately  originated,  consists  of  a 
special  light  weight  headgear  to  which  straps  are  attached.  The  straps 
hold  in  place  a  circular  rubber  mouthpiece,  which  is  inflated. 


CHAPTER  V 

Conditioning 

GAMES  are  won  or  lost  by  the  physical  condition  of  the  players. 
For  this  reason  the  matter  of  fitness  is  receiving  far  more  attention 
than  it  ever  did  before.  Except  in  the  larger  schools  where  a 
trainer  can  be  afforded,  the  duties  of  instructing  the  players  in  matters  of 
healthful  living,  of  regulating  their  practice  periods,  and  of  remedying 
their  minor  bruises  and  ailments,  will  fall  upon  the  coach.  Therefore,  the 
matter  of  training  in  all  of  its  phases  is  one  that  no  coach  can  afford  to 
ignore.  Not  only  from  the  standpoint  of  winning  games,  but  from  his 
duty  to  the  growing  boys  entrusted  to  his  care,  is  it  important  that  he 
should  know  the  things  that  pertain  to  their  physical  welfare. 

I.     Diet 

A  proper  diet  for  athletes  would  include  the  lean  meats  such  as  beef- 
steak, or  chops,  broiled  rare;  potatoes,  preferably  baked — occasionally 
mashed  or  boiled,  but  never  fried — and  other  vegetables  such  as  tomatoes, 
beans  (wax  or  string),  peas,  and  corn;  thoroughly  cooked  cereals;  eggs, 
cooked  rare,  and  in  any  style  but  fried;  day  old  bread  or  well  toasted  bread 
or  zwieback,  with  plenty  of  butter;  practically  all  the  fruits;  the  simple 
desserts  such  as  ice  cream  and  the  various  puddings  made  with  eggs  and 
milk;  and  fluids,  water  principally,  but  with  milk  allowed  in  reasonable 
quantities,  tea  occasionally,  and  coffee  at  certain  times  if  the  man  is 
accustomed  to  it. 

To  be  strictly  avoided  are  the  fat  meats  in  general,  as  they  are  difficult 
to  digest;  fresh  bread  or  soggy  toast;  the  fibrous  woody  vegetables  such  as 
cabbage,  turnips,  beets,  radishes,  etc.;  pies,  cakes,  rich  puddings  and  can- 
dies; pancakes;  fried  foods  in  any  form;  pickles,  sauces  and  condiments  of 
every  kind,  and  alcoholic  drinks.  Baked  beans  are  nutritious,  but  should  / 
not  be  eaten  within  forty-eight  hours  of  a  game.  Cheese  should  be  eaten '- 
sparingly  as  it  is  constipating.  Although  nuts  have  a  high  food  value, 
they  are  hard  to  digest,  peanuts  especially,  and  the  athlete  should  keep 
away  from  the  pernicious  habit  of  eating  them  between  meal  times.  Some 
men  find  that  eggs  do  not  agree  with  them,  and  in  such  a  case  a  substitute 
article  of  diet  should  be  found. 

The  use  of  meat  is  a  disputed  point  but  it  has  been  proved  that  most 
athletes  are  better  conditioned  when  meat  is  used  but  once  or  twice  a 
day,  rather  than  at  every  meal  as  the  old-time  training  diets  prescribed. 
The  meats  which  are  to  be  preferred  for  athletes'  diet  are  roast  beef, 
broiled  steak,  roast  or  broiled  mutton,  and  chicken  occasionally,  on  Sun-  ' 
days  for  instance.  Rich  and  highly  seasoned  gravies  and  dressings  are  to 
be  avoided  as  they  stimulate  the  appetite  unduly  and  leave  an  after-taste. 
Ham,  bacon,  and  other  salt  meats  are  discarded.  Pork  and  veal  are  to 
be  tabooed. 

13 


14  BASKET     BALL 


In  former  years  most  coaches  restricted  the  use  of  butter  but  now  it  is 
reahzed  that  butter  is  a  condensed  form  of  energy  and  a  heat-producing 
food.  Players  should  be  allowed  to  have  it  in  rather  large  amounts, 
except  when  the  men  are  putting  on  weight  in  training.  The  same  value 
holds  true  for  sugar,  also  for  milk. 

Fruit  should  not  be  eaten  the  day  of  the  game  as  it  is  bulky  and  with 
but  little  nutriment.  Otherwise,  it  is  a  most  valuable  article  for  the 
training  diet.  The  fresh  fruits,  especially  apples,  oranges,  and  grapes  in 
season,  are  popular  with  the  athlete  and  lend  variety  to  his  diet.  In 
addition,  they  furnish  a  natural  laxative  and  give  tone  to  the  system.  The 
cooked  fruits  like  apple  sauce,  prune  sauce,  or  baked  apples  are  likewise 
valued  by  all  trainers  as  a  regular  article  on  the  menu.  Bananas  are 
objectionable  because  they  are  digested  slowly  and  remain  as  a  load  on  the 
digestive  organs. 

Water  should  be  the  principal  fluid,  and  it  is  good  at  all  times,  except 
when  used  to  wash  down  hastily  masticated  food.  A  good  habit  to  acquire 
is  that  of  drinking  plenty  of  water  between  meals,  also  just  before  and 
after  meals,  but  sipping  it  sparingly  during  the  meal  at  times  when  there  is 
no  other  food  in  the  mouth.  Drinking  water  may  be  chilled,  but  never 
should  be  iced.  Iced  water  retards  the  digestion.  Changes  of  water  may 
affect  teams  on  trips  and  for  that  reason  trainers  often  take  bottled  water 
with  them,  or  insist  on  spring  water  at  the  hotels  where  they  stop.  Milk 
should  be  allowed  to  all  individuals  except  in  cases  where  it  proves  over- 
fattening.  It  is  rich  and  for  this  reason  it  should  be  used  in  limited  quan- 
tities. It  proves  an  aid  to  the  underweight  men.  Tea,  if  mild,  is  in  favor 
with  practically  all  training  authorities.  Coffee  is  a  definite  and  efficient 
stimulant  to  the  central  nervous  system  and  its  use  must  be  determined 
by  the  individual.  It  is  of  value  to  some  and  harmful  to  others.  One  cup 
a  day,  at  breakfast  time,  is  of  benefit  to  the  ordinary  individual,  and  its 
stimulating  eflPect  braces  the  person  who  needs  some  "keying  up."  Cocoa 
is  very  rich  and  fattening;  it  slows  the  athlete  up  and  because  of  the  boiled 
milk  in  it  tends  to  cause  constipation. 

Tobacco  should  be  avoided  in  every  form.  In  exceptional  cases 
when  the  coach  believes  that  the  sudden  breaking  off*  of  the  habit  will 
prove  harmful,  it  is  a  precaution  to  seek  out  such  an  individual  some  time 
before  the  playing  season  starts  so  that  he  may  stop  gradually.  The 
coach  should  discountenance  smoking  by  every  means,  and  should  set 
the  example  by  refraining  from  the  habit  himself.  It  is  definitely  known 
that  the  use  of  tobacco  quickens  the  heart  rate,  and  by  so  doing,  uses  up 
nervous  energy  more  rapidly  than  the  athlete  in  strict  training  can  afford 
to  lose  it. 

Milk  chocolate  bars  are  all  right  when  eaten  at  meal  times.  The 
chocolate  has  a  high  food  value  and  is  especially  beneficial  to  a  man  who  is 
losing  weight.  Ice  cream  is  also  fine  for  the  players  if  eaten  as  a  dessert  at 
meal  times. 


CONDITIONING  15 

At  the  ordinary  home,  boarding  house,  or  fraternity  the  wants  of  the 
many  cannot  be  overlooked  for  the  one,  and  the  athlete  is  often  luckless  as 
regards  getting  the  food  that  he  should  have.  That  is  the  reason  for  a 
good  school  training  table.  However  the  training  table  has  been  one  of 
the  factors  in  corrupting  athletics  by  giving  the  chance  to  offer  star  players 
free  board,  and  so  many  schools  have  felt  it  best  to  abandon  it. 

The  average  coach,  not  having  the  players  all  together  at  meal  times 
is  rarely  able  to  control  their  diet.  He  has  the  best  opportunity  to  watch 
over  them  when  on  trips.  Early  in  the  season  it  is  well  for  the  coach  or 
trainer  to  give  talks  on  training  diet.  He  should  keep  in  mind  the  fact  that 
there  are  individual  variations  in  choice  which  should  be  catered  to;  that 
articles  of  diet  which  agree  well  with  some  players  will  not  agree  at  all  with 
others.  The  player  should  be  encouraged  to  consult  the  coach  in  matters 
of  diet  so  that  these  differences  may  be  adjusted.  If  any  article  leaves  a 
persistent  after-taste  it  is  a  sign  that  it  is  not  being  digested. 

The  players  should  be  warned  that  over-eating  makes  a  sluggish 
athlete.  The  elaborate  menus  of  the  hotels  will  lead  to  over-eating,  unless 
the  coach  is  watchful.     Thorough  mastication  is  all-important. 

In  the  winter  the  athlete  can  eat  heavier  foods  so  as  to  gain  warmth 
for  the  body.  In  the  summer  the  opposite  applies  and  the  consumption  of 
meat  can  be  made  almost  nil.  In  the  hot  weather  more  water  is  needed 
to  offset  the  greater  perspiration. 

2.  Meals  on  Day  of  Game 

The  diet  on  the  day  of  the  game  should  consist  of  a  heavy  breakfast, 
a  moderate  dinner,  and  a  light  supper,  eaten  two  or  two  and  one  half  hours 
before  the  game.  The  supper  most  generally  favored  consists  of  two 
poached  eggs,  with  two  or  three  well  browned  slices  of  toast,  and  a  little 
weak  tea,  or  water,  but  the  latter  should  never  be  iced.  A  small  piece  of 
roast  beef  or  steak  is  good  as  a  substitute  in  case  eggs  do  not  agree  with 
certain  players.  Very  light  eating  is  a  necessity  at  this  time,  for  the 
reason  that  after  the  game  has  commenced  the  blood  is  needed  in  the  muscles 
rather  than  in  the  digestive  organs.  Again,  a  player  who  is  on  edge  and 
nervous  before  a  game  will  usually  have  a  poor  appetite  and  should  not 
be  encouraged  to  eat,  as  the  food  will  not  digest  properly. 

3.  Care  of  Players  the  Night  of  Game 

a.  Before  game.  If  the  men  are  tired  from  a  game  the  night  before, 
or  from  a  long  train  ride,  they  will  find  it  helps  them  to  step  under  the  cold 
shower  for  an  instant.  Another  thing  that  helps  refresh  all  players  is  to 
run  a  towel  soaked  in  cold  water  over  their  faces,  especially  washing  the 
lips  to  remove  any  food  taste  which  may  linger  there.  A  rub  is  also 
valuable;  the  directions  are  explained  in  a  later  section  of  this  chapter. 
The  workout  methods  before  the  game  are  described  in  Chapter  VII. 

Fresh  air  is  appreciated  by  all  players,  but  to  the  tired  team  it  is  an 


16  •         BASKETBALL 


absolute  necessity,  and  the  coach  should  see  to  it  that  the  windows  are  up. 
This  is  often  a  difficult  thing  to  bring  about,  especially  in  a  crowded  hall, 
when  the  spectators  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the  window  object  to  its  being 
opened  upon  them.  However,  this  is  a  matter  of  courtesy  for  which  the 
home  management  should  make»preliminary  arrangements. 

b.  During  game.  During  tlie  game  the  coach  should  keep  a  bottle  of 
water  by  the  bench,  so  that  players  may  come  to  the  sidelines  when  time  is 
out  and  rinse  out  their  mouths.  They  should  not  swallow  the  water 
but  rather  gargle  it  and  spit  into  a  heavy  towel  which  should  be  handy. 
Another  helpful  thing  is  to  keep  a  few  wet  towels  by  the  bench  to  give 
to  the  players  on  the  floor  when  time  is  out  so  that  they  may  wipe  off 
their  faces.  The  captain  should  get  the  referee's  permission  to  go  to  the 
sideline  and  obtain  the  towels. 

Whenever  a  player  is  removed  from  the  game  he  should  be  kept  warm. 
He  should  put  on  his  sweat  shirt  and  wrap  up  his  legs,  preferably  with  a 
blanket.  This  protects  him  from  catching  cold,  and  also  prevents  his 
muscles  from  stiffening  up,  a  thing  which  would  handicap  him  in  case  he 
should  again  be  put  into  the  game. 

c.  Between  halves.  When  the  first  half  is  over  the  coach  should  take. 
the  team  to  the  dressing  room,  which  should  be  comfortably  warm  but  not 
too  warm.  If  the  men  are  perspiring  too  freely,  it  will  help  them  to  cool 
off  if  they  stand  on  their  feet  and  move  about  slowly  for  a  minute  or  two, 
so  that  the  body  can  recover  its  normal  condition  and  the  circulation 
become  equalized  in  a  gradual  manner.  The  men  should  then  lie  down 
and  relax,  being  kept  warm  between  blankets.  Their  braces  should  be 
loosened.  The  substitutes  can  help;  one  should  be  assigned  to  each  regular 
man,  and  be  given  a  towel  dampened  in  cold  water,  with  which  to  wash 
off  the  player's  head,  neck,  and  chest,  rubbing  briskly  to  give  friction. 
The  regular  player  can  also  be  rested  by  giving  a  light  rub  to  the  calves  of 
his  legs.     Many  teams  change  to  dry  shirts  at  this  time. 

It  is  still  common  to  see  lemon  juice  given  to  the  players  between 
halves,  even  though  experience  has  shown  that  it  puckers  the  mouth 
and  creates  a  thirst,  thus  being  positively  harmful.  A  much  better  thing 
is  peppermint  in  water,  one  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  peppermint  to  six 
ounces  of  water  being  a  good  mixture  for  a  mouth  wash  and  gargle.  This 
cuts  the  phlegm  that  fills  the  player's  throat  when  exercising  violently 
in  a  heated  atmosphere.  The  drinking  of  anything  cold,  such  as  plain 
water,  is  liable  to  bring  about  cramps  and  be  injurious.  Some  coaches 
give  a  lump  of  sugar,  or  two,  between  halves  and  find  that  it  is  immediately 
absorbed  into  the  system  to  give  energy.  A  stimulant  in  the  form  of  a 
third  of  a  cup  of  black  coffee  is  sometimes  administered,  but  it  is  in- 
convenient to  have  this  handy  and  unless  a  man  is  used  to  coffee  it  may 
upset  him. 

The  ten-minute  intermission  goes  fast,  and  is  a  very  busy  period 
for  the  coach.     He  should   first  go   from   player  to  player,  giving  indi- 


CONDITIONING       "  17 

vidual  instructions  quietly.  Then  he  should  talk  to  the  team  as  a 
whole,  pointing  out  their  mistakes  and  weaknesses  he  may  have  noticed  in 
the  opponents'  play,  and  the  plan  of  campaign  for  the  second  half.  Just 
before  the  team  is  to  return  to  the  floor,  the  coach  should  endeavor  to  key 
the  men  up,  encouraging  them  to  come  from  behind  in  the  one  case,  and 
warning  against  over-confidence  in  the  other.  About  three  minutes  before 
the  intermission  is  up,  the  team  should  return  to  the  floor,  to  warm  up, 
and  get  their  eye  on  the  new  basket.  It  is  a  good  idea  to  allow  the  sub- 
stitutes to  go  on  the  floor  and  shoot  during  most  of  the  intermission  period, 
as  they  are  not  tired,  and  need  the  practice  more  so  than  the  regulars  who 
have  been  playing. 

d.  After  the  game.  Precautions  are  given  elsewhere  concerning  the 
bath  and  rubdown  after  a  game,  and  the  necessity  for  cooling  oflF  well 
before  going  out  of  doors. 

After  the  game  is  over,  the  men  will  be  hungry.  When  they  have 
cooled  off  and  their  normal  condition  has  been  restored,  they  should  be 
allowed  to  eat  a  light  lunch,  including  a  cereal,  toast,  an  egg  or  chicken 
sandwich,  and  a  glass  of  milk  or  cup  of  weak  tea. 

The  tendency,  even  after  eating,  is  for  the  players  to  stay  up  too  late, 
as  they  are  still  restless  from  the  excitement  of  the  game.  The  best  thing 
to  do  is  to  retire  to  a  warm  room  where  they  can  lie  down  and  relax,  chat- 
ting or  reading,  even  though  they  do  not  at  once  attempt  to  go  to  sleep. 

4.    Sleep 

Sleep,  both  regular  and  plentiful,  is  necessary  for  all  athletes.  Regu- 
larity is  all-important.  That  is  why  basket  ball  men  in  particular  should 
not  neglect  the  matter  of  sleep,  as  the  exigencies  of  the  schedule,  particular- 
ly in  games  away  from  home,  will  often  force  the  athlete  to  break  into  his 
regular  sleeping  habits.  Too  many  men  fall  into  the  error  of  thinking 
that  sleep  lost  in  one  night  can  be  made  up  by  over-sleep  the  following 
night. 

No  rule  can  be  laid  down  as  to  the  exact  amount  of  sleep.  Some  men 
can  keep  in  condition  on  seven  hours,  others  require  as  many  as  ten  hours. 
A  position  in  which  the  body  reclines  on  the  right  side  is  considered  the 
most  hygienic  for  sleep. 

Men  often  find  difficulty  in  sleeping  in  strange  beds  while  on  trips. 
The  coach  or  manager  should  see  to  it  that  the  bedrooms  are  as  pleasant 
as  possible,  and  as  far  as  practicable  from  all  noise  and  disturbance. 
Rooms  on  an  inside  court  are  usually  much  more  quiet,  and  at  the  same 
time  less  expensive.  It  is  advisable  to  get  double  rooms  with  each  of  the 
players  having  a  separate  three  quarters  size  bed. 

An  injured  player  should  have  a  separate  room  as  he  will  be  restless 
and  disturb  anyone  who  sleeps  with  him;  besides,  the  quieter  he  can  be 
kept,  the  better  the  chance  for  his  recovery. 

When  night  trips  are   necessary,  the  regulars  should   get  the  lower 


18  BASKET     BALL 

Pullman  berths,  as  near  as  possible  to  the  middle  of  the  car,  away  from 
the  jolting  of  the  wheels. 

Sleeplessness  is  brought  about  by  different  factors.  Worry,  excite- 
ment, over-tiredness,  upset  digestion,  eye  strain,  and  improper  hygiene  of 
the  sleeping  room  are  the  common  ones.  The  mental  strain  of  a  hard 
fought  game  does  not  always  wear  off  by  bedtime.  The  factor  of  over- 
tiredness  will  be  brought  on  by  staying  up  past  the  hour  when  one  feels 
sleepy,  and  engaging  in  some  interesting  activity,  so  that  an  unnatural 
state  of  wakefulness  is  induced.  Just  before  the  hour  of  retiring  it  is  ill- 
advised  to  concentrate  the  mind  on  some  perplexing  problem.  A  person 
who  is  physically  exhausted  following  severe  contests  will  find  that  he 
will  recuperate  quicker  if  he  continues  to  exercise  mildly  than  though 
he  takes  a  complete  rest;  the  waste  matter  that  is  left  in  the  tissues,  and 
which  causes  the  muscle  soreness,  is  burned  up  more  rapidly  by  the 
absorption  of  oxygen  derived  from  the  exercise.  The  digestion  is  easily 
upset  at  a  time  of  excitement  and  worry,  and  the  athlete  should  guard  his 
eating  all  the  more  at  such  a  time.  Eye  strain  can  come  from  reading  too 
much,  which  is  often  the  case  when  a  long  trip  is  being  taken  and  the 
player  attempts  to  while  away  the  time,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  the 
jolting  of  the  train  proves  ruinous  to  the  best  of  eyes.  Too  long  attendance 
at  moving  picture  shows  will  produce  the  same  strain. 

As  regards  the  temperature  of  the  sleeping  room,  it  is  impossible  to  lay 
down  a  rule  that  will  apply  to  all  persons  alike.  An  overheated  room  is 
bad  in  all  cases,  and  produces  restless,  fitful  sleep;  but  an  unheated  room 
may  be  unhealthful  in  the  winter  cold  for  people  with  slow  heart  rates  or 
thin  blood,  as  their  bodily  temperature  will  not  keep  the  bed  warm  through- 
out the  night,  and  they  will  awaken  before  morning  with  cold  extremities. 
Athletes  who  have  trouble  keeping  warm  should  have  the  window  raised 
just  enough  to  keep  the  air  fresh,  and  should  avoid  sleeping  in  drafts,  and 
should  see  that  there  are  warm  blankets  underneath  him  as  well  as  on  top. 
Too  heavy  covering  is  not  a  good  thing,  as  it  impedes  the  circulation,  and 
the  consciousness  of  its  weight  may  keep  a  person  awake.  To  avoid  this 
trouble,  the  sleeper  should  go  to  bed  with  just  enough  covering  over  him 
to  be  comfortable,  but  with  a  heavy  blanket  available  to  be  pulled  over 
him  in  case  he  wakes  up  from  cold. 

The  use  of  opiates  for  sleepless  athletes  should  not  be  allowed  ex- 
cept under  the  direct  care  of  a  physician.  Even  then,  they  might  be 
dispensed  with,  and  reserved  only  for  their  indispensable  part  in  reliev- 
ing pain. 

The  practice  of  taking  an  afternoon  nap,  when  a  game  is  to  be  played 
in  the  evening,  is  of  value.  Even  though  the  men  do  not  sleep,  they  relax 
and  obtain  rest.  The  rest  is  especially  needed  when  the  men  are  playing 
away  from  home,  as  they  are  generally  on  their  feet  a  lot  from  sight-seeing. 
If  the  men  are  aroused  just  before  supper,  a  short  walk  should  precede  the 
meal. 


CONDITIONING  19 

5.  Underweight  and  Overweight 

The  usual  routine  of  athletic  training  tends  to  build  up  the  man  who 
is  underweight  and  to  reduce  those  who  are  overweight.  Radical  means  of 
reducing  weight  such  as  excessive  exercise,  wearing  heavy  sweaters,  vapor 
baths,  and  extremes  of  diet,  are  liable  to  be  injurious  and  should  not  be 
attempted  by  growing  boys. 

In  the  case  of  the  underweight  player,  advise  plenty  of  water,  starchy 
food,  at  least  nine  hours  sleep,  and  moderate  exercises  that  are  not  too 
prolonged. 

If  slightly  overweight,  the  routine  of  training  will  reduce  to  normal; 
however,  when  overweight  to  the  extent  of  being  fat  and  flabby,  give 
plenty  of  exercises,  but  of  not  too  strenuous  type,  otherwise  the  heart  may 
be  afl^ected.     Cut  out  the  starchy  foods. 

6.  Staleness  and  Overtraining 

The  causes  of  staleness  are  overwork,  functional  disorders,  such  as 
constipation,  loss  of  sleep,  worry,  errors  in  diet,  and  dissipation. 

Symptoms  of  staleness  are  as  follows:  Loss  of  weight  each  day  not 
made  up  by  the  succeeding  day;  nervousness  and  irritability;  inability  to 
sleep;  loss  of  appetite;  a  haggard,  drawn  look,  with  hollows  under  the  eyes 
and  lines  in  the  face;  eyes  dull  and  lacking  sparkle.  Th^man  has  a  com- 
plete feeling  of  "all  in,"  has  no  ambition  and  tires  easily.  Minor  injuries 
and  bruises  are  sustained  easily  and  will  not  heal  quickly.  The  heart 
tests  as  explained  below  will  show  deviations  from  the  normal  rates. 

These  are  all  unfavorable  signs,  and  any  player  showing  any  consider- 
able number  of  them,  particularly  the  heart  indications  coupled  with  a 
continued  loss  of  weight,  should  be  excused  from  practice  altogether,  or 
else  the  work  lightened  up  until  the  condition  is  improved.  Prevention  is 
far  better  than  cure,  here  as  elsewhere,  and  carefully  watching  the  weights 
will  prevent  the  condition  from  becoming  serious.  The  men  should  weigh 
in  before  and  after  practice.  On  the  average  they  will  lose  from  two  to 
four  pounds  during  the  practice,  but  this  loss  should  be  regained  when  the 
weight  is  taken  the  first  time  the  next  day.  With  high-school  players  it  is 
a  very  good  thing  if  the  players  can  gradually  take  on  weight  during  the 
season. 

Another  way  of  testing  the  condition  of  the  players  is  through  the  heart 
test.  The  heart  rate  of  the  average  person  when  standing  is  between  70 
and  80,  although  many  athletes'  heart  rates  run  below  70  and  yet  are  in 
normal  condition.  If  the  normal  heart  rates  of  the  different  players  are 
known,  then  it  is  easy  to  find  out  if  any  of  them  are  out  of  condition.  The 
new  tests  will  indicate  (a)  an  increase  of  rate  in  both  lying  and  standing 
positions,  and  (b)  a  difference  of  more  than  2ft  beats  between  the  hori- 
zontal and  standing  rates.  Also  (c),  the  rate  when  horizontal  will  double 
under  the  20-squat  test. 

In  the  case  of  the  individual  player  who  is  stale,  the  amount  of  work 


i. 


20  BASKET     BALL 


should  be  reduced,  but  it  is  usually  not  advisable  to  lay  a  player  off  entirely. 
Sometimes  all  that  is  required  is  to  excuse  the  player  from  scrimmage  and 
to  introduce  some  element  of  novelty  into  his  work.  Special  attention 
should  be  paid  to  the  diet  of  a  player  in  this  condition.  The  conscientious 
player,  who  has  become  stale  through  lack  of  sleep  or  from  worry,  should 
not  be  told  that  he  is  stale,  as  this  would  tend  to  aggravate  the  condition. 

A  thing  more  serious  for  the  coach  to  combat  is  the  case  where  the 
whole  team  becomes  stale.  There  are  signs  that  should  lead  him  to  sus- 
pect staleness  in  his  basket  ball  team,  such  as  the  following: 

When  loose  balls  are  constantly  being  lost  to  the  opponents,  either  in 
scrimmage  or  after  attempted  shots.  The  man  in  condition  has  quicker 
reaction  and  speed  as  well  as  endurance,  and  this  wins  the  race  to  the  ball. 

When  an  unusually  large  number  of  passes  are  being  intercepted. 

When  opponents  are  consistently  jerking  away  and  obtaining  posses- 
sion of  what  should  be  a  "held  ball." 

When  opponents  keep  breaking  away  for  shots  after  they  apparently 
have  been  blocked. 

When  the  players  are  continually  guarding  from  behind,  and  fouling 
frequently. 

When  the  teams,  though  "ofF  color,"  show  flashes  of  form  by 
spurts. 

A  lay-ofl^,  or  a  let-up  in  the  amount  of  drill,  is  absolutely  necessary 
under  the  above  conditions.  A  big  mistake  that  most  coaches  fall  into, 
however,  is  to  lay  off  the  men  until  the  night  before  the  next  game,  and  then 
giving  merely  a  little  shooting  practice.  This  is  all  right  in  case  the  game 
is  almost  sure  to  be  an  easy  one,  but  if  a  hard  game  is  slated,  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  that  the  men  be  keyed  up  to  the  pace  of  a  fast  game  again.  A 
plan  that  has  worked  well  when  a  hard  game  is  in  store  after  a  good  rest  is 
to  give  the  men  a  light  workout  two  nights  before  the  game,  but  on  the 
night  previous,  to  give  a  short  strenuous  workout,  including  a  fifteen- 
minute  or  twenty-minute  scrimmage  against  stiff  opposition. 

7.    Baths  and  Rubs 

a.  Baths.  The  player  should  be  cautioned  against  over  use  of  either  the 
hot  or  cold  shower.  If  he  is  bathing  every  day,  two  minutes  is  long  enough; 
he  should  not  stay  over  five  minutes  at  any  time,  and  then  only  when  he 
has  become  chilled  before  having  the  opportunity  to  get  under  the  shower, 
and  needs  to  have  the  perspiration  started  again.  A  player  who  is  losing 
weight  should  not  take  too  many  baths — every  other  day  is  plenty,  with  a 
sponge  bath  (tepid)  on  the  days  that  are  skipped. 

Whenever  the  player  is  perspiring  profusely,  he  should  first  use  the  warm 
or  hot  shower,  gradually  reducing  the  temperature,  finally  using  the  cold 
shower.  If  this  does  not  check  the  perspiration,  he  should  dress  slowly 
and  cool  off  before  going  outdoors  into  the  cold  air.  In  an  indoor  atmos- 
phere one  perspires  freely  and  the  pores  do  not  close  quickly.     Therefore, 


CONDITIONING  21 

the  way  to  cool  off  is  not  by  exposure  to  a  window  or  draft,  but  rather  by 
adding  more  clothes. 

When  a  player  has  not  been  exercising  vigorously,  or  feels  chilled 
before  taking  a  shower,  the  tepid  or  neutral  bath  only  should  be  used.  If 
there  is  no  hot  water,  a  tepid  sponge  bath  with  a  vigorous  towel  rub  is  the 
next  best  thing.  The  player  should  never  get  under  the  cold  shower  when 
sweating  and  warm,  as  the  cold  in  this  case  will  contract  the  muscles  and 
cause  stiffness  and  lameness,  as  well  as  giving  an  unnecessary  shock  to  the 
nervous  system.  Another  thing  to  note  is  that  the  player  who  does  not 
react  well  to  the  cold  shower  should  not  use  the  extreme  temperature.  The 
term  "reaction"  applied  to  the  cold  shower,  means  the  glow  that  comes 
over  the  bather  after  the  immediate  chill  has  passed  away.  It  is  noticeable 
too,  that  after  a  man  has  been  overheated,  the  use  of  too  cold  water  in 
finishing  up  his  shower  will  leave  him  hotter  than  ever,  as  the  reaction  is 
too  extreme. 

During  the  training  season,  it  is  inadvisable  to  allow  the  man  to  use  the 
swimming  pool.  There  is  the  danger  of  catching  cold,  also  of  overdoing, 
as  the  basket  ball  practices  should  give  the  maximum  of  exercise  that 
should  be  indulged  in. 

b.  Ruhs.  The  purpose  of  rubs  is  to  prevent  and  remove  stiffness,  also 
to  invigorate  and  stimulate. 

The  oil  rub,  mentioned  under  "Training  Supplies"  contains  oil  to 
prevent  friction;  wintergreen  to  heat;  and  witchhazel  and  alcohol  to  soothe, 
and  to  hasten  the  evaporation  of  sweat.  It  may  be  used  before  a  game  to 
limber  up  stiff  and  sore  muscles,  and  by  heating  the  body,  it  artificially 
serves  the  same  purpose  as  the  warming  up  exercises  that  the  athlete 
usually  goes  through  before  competition. 

After  a  game,  a  rub  with  alcohol  or  witchhazel,  or  a  mixture  of  the  two, 
relaxes  the  body,  and  by  closing  the  pores,  helps  to  prevent  cold.  The  oil 
rub,  if  the  wintergreen  ingredient  is  omitted,  will  serve  the  same  purpose. 

A  brisk  rub  with  alcohol  and  witchhazel  just  before  a  game  will  often 
invigorate  a  player  who  is  indisposed  and  listless.  Such  a  rub  should  not 
last  over  five  minutes;  no  extra  benefit  can  be  obtained  by  keeping  it  up 
longer  than  that  length  of  time. 


CHAPTER   VI 

Injuries  and  Minor  Ailments 

THERE  are  many  possible  injuries  and  ailments  in  basket  ball.  The 
player  is  probably  badly  needed  in  the  lineup,  and  consequently  the 
remedy  must  be  quick  and  effective.  Quite  often  the  coach  must  be 
the  trainer.  If  so,  he  assumes  a  great  responsibility,  one  that  he  should 
give  over  to  a  physician  in  any  case  that  offers  even  the  slightest  possible 
chance  of  leading  into  serious  developments.  Even  with  the  most  simple 
scratch  or  bruise,  one  cannot  be  too  careful.  The  different  injuries  and 
ailments  are  taken  up  separately  below,  and  the  remedies  prescribed  are 
not  only  effective,  but  quick,  as  the  presumption  is  that  the  player  is 
badly  needed  in  the  lineup. 

I.     Training-Room  Supplies 

The  following  articles  are  those  shown  by  the  experience  of  well  known 
trainers  to  be  most  commonly  in  demand  for  the  treatment  of  athletic 
injuries,  and  indispensable  in  the  training-room  cabinet. 

1.  Gauze  roller  bandages.   Two  and  three  inches  wide. 

2.  Sterile  gauze  for  compresses. 

3.  Adhesive  tape — i,  ij4,  and  2-inch  rolls,  for  binding  sprains,  fasten- 
ing bandages,  pads,  etc. 

4.  CoUodlum — flexible,  for  sealing  over  fresh  cuts  in  place  of  uncleanly 
plaster. 

5.  Antiseptic:  The  trainer  will  likely  choose  favorites  from  those 
given  below. 

a.  Lysol — 3%  solution,  2  teaspoonfuls  to  a  pint  of  water,  and  now 
generally  favored. 

b.  Bichloride  of  mercury  is  cheap  and  was  formerly  most  used.  It 
must  be  used  very  carefully  in  one  to  1,000  solution  which  is  made  for 
practical  use  by  adding  one  tablet  to  a  quart  of  water.  It  is  most  useful 
in  treating  stubborn  infections.  The  bichloride  tablets  should  be  kept 
out  of  reach  of  the  players,  and  as  a  precautionary  measure  should  be 
colored  so  as  to  be  distinguished  from  other  tablets. 

c.  Tincture  of  iodine — 7%.  Best  for  all  around  use,  and  practically 
indispensable.  Iodine  burns  some  men,  or  blisters,  and  then  a  substi- 
tute should  be  found.    The  same  holds  true  of  bichloride. 

d.  Hydrogen  peroxide — Not  a  true  antiseptic  but  a  good  cleaning 
agent  for  pus,  wounds,  etc.,  where  there  is  no  water  available  for  clean] 
ing. 

e.  Boric  acid  powder — a  tablespoonful  dissolved  in  a  pint  of  boilec 
water  will  make  a  mixture  suitable  for  a  mouthwash,  a  gargle,  or  bath- 
ing a  wound. 

6.  Antiseptic  powder — bismuth-formic-iodine  compound. 

22 


INJURIES   AND   MINOR   AILMENTS  23 

7.  Unguentine — a  healing  salve. 

8.  Dressing  for  Sprains — The  following  are  all  good : 

a.  Iodine.     Caution:   It  will  blister  if  put  on  after  hot  towels. 

b.  Oil  of  hemlock. 

c.  6%  glycerine,  1%  guiacol,  and   apply  heat  when   applying  the 

dressing. 

d.  Menthyl-salicylate  (or  oil  of  wintergreen). 

9.  Antiphlogistine  for  poultice  purposes. 

10.  Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia.  Use  a  very  weak  solution  before 
game  for  weakness  or  faintness.  Use  essence  of  peppermint  to  heat  the 
stomach  and  prevent  cramps. 

11.  Tannic  acid,  or  compound  tincture  of  benzoin,  hardens  feet. 

12.  Rubdowns: 

a.  Mike  Murphy  rub.    This  can  be  bought  already  put  up. 

b.  Soap  liniment,  also  can  be  bought  put  up  at  drug  stores. 

c.  A  formula  for  a  rubdown  before  a  game: 

3  ounces  camphorated  oil. 

2  ounces  olive  or  cottonseed  oil. 

2  ounces  of  synthetic  oil  of  wintergreen. 

Alcohol  or  witchhazel  to  make  a  pint. 

Id.  The  same  thing  can  be  used  after  a  game,  only  in  a  weakened 
solution  with  the  wintergreen,  the  thing  that  heats,  left  out. 
e.  One  quarter  pint  grain  alcohol  mixed  with  ^  of  a  pint  of  witch- 
hazel  makes  a  good  after-game  rub.    Sometimes  a  few  drops  of  iodine 
are  added. 

2.     Care  of  Injuries  and  Minor  Ailments 

a.  Abrasion  or  Floor  Burn:  There  is  a  great  danger  of  infection  from 
dirt  on  the  floor,  or  from  the  clothing  and  stockings,  if  this  type  of  injury  is 
not  cared  for  properly.  The  trainer's  hands  must  be  absolutely  clean  before 
and  after  working  with  an  infected  wound.  There  is  very  great  danger  of 
infection  to  the  trainer,  especially  if  the  skin  is  broken  anywhere  on  his 
hand,  and  if  the  finger  is  put  up  to  the  eye,  blindness  may  be  caused  from 
a  single  drop  of  pus. 

Cleanse  the  wound  carefully  with  a  disinfecting  solution  of  lysol,  or  i 
to  1000  bichloride.  If  the  amount  of  exudation  is  great,  apply  a  healing 
salve  like  unguentine,  to  prevent  the  gauze  from  adhering  to  the  surface  of 
the  wound,  and  also  to  aid  in  the  healing.  Then  apply  a  sterile  gauze 
bandage,  fastened  in  place  with  adhesive  tape,  but  not  so  tight  as  to  make 
it  press  the  wound.  The  tape  should  be  fastened  to  the  edge  of  the  dressing 
in  thin  strips.   The  dressing  should  be  made  at  least  once  daily. 

If  there  is  not  much  exudation  use  a  dry  dressing  like  the  bismuth- 
formic-iodine  compound  in  place  of  the  salve.  Do  not  heal  a  floor  burn 
too  quickly.  The  infection  should  all  be  drained  out  before  the  wound  is 
closed. 


24  BASKET     BALL 


b.  Deep  Cut  or  Lacerated  Wound:  Cleanse  thoroughly  with  enough 
sterile  water  so  that  all  impurities  and  germs  will  be  carried  away  from  the 
wound.  Lysol  or  Hydrogen  Peroxide  serves  the  purpose  of  sterile  water. 
Apply  tincture  of  iodine.  Then  apply  surgical  gauze  dressing,  fastened 
in  place  by  narrow  strips  of  adhesive  tape,  which  should  cover  the  edges 
of  the  dressing,  rather  than  be  over  the  wound  itself. 

c.  Ordinary  Bruise  and  Bone  Bruise  Where  Skin  is  not  Broken:  For 
the  ordinary  bruise,  either  very  cold  or  very  hot  water  will  relieve  the  swell- 
ing and  pain.  Alternating  hot  and  cold  applications  is  very  good,  al- 
though cold  water  is  usually  more  quickly  available.  For  a  bone  bruise 
very  hot  water  should  first  be  used;  then  massage  gently  toward  the  heart. 
A  final  application  of  unguentine  or  antiphlogistine  will  relieve  the  conges- 
tion. A  bone  bruise  on  the  heel  is  very  troublesome.  For  protection 
from  further  injury  use  rubber  doughnuts  or  felt  pads;  or  a  rubber 
sponge  sliced  in  two  by  a  safety  razor,  will  serve  the  same  purpose. 

d.  Sprains:  All  sprains  should  be  rubbed  upward  only.  First  alter- 
nate hot  and  cold  applications  for  twenty  minutes.  Then  bandage  the  part 
firmly,  after  which  it  should  be  elevated  to  relieve  and  prevent  congestion. 
Trainers  use  such  dressings  as  guiacol-glycerine,  oil  of  hemlock,  iodine,  or 
menthyl-salicylate  to  promote  the  healing  and  absorption  of  exudation 
on  the  sprained  area.  All  are  good.  The  dressing  should  be  changed 
daily. 

Bandaging  has  become  an  art  that  is  important  both  in  the 
preventing  and  treating  of  sprains.  As  a  brace  to  the  well  ankle,  and  a 
protection  for  simple  sprains  the  figure  eight  bandage  will  prove  sufficient. 
For  the  more  difficult  cases,  however,  the  basket  splint  is  in  favor.  The 
two  are  made  as  follows. 

(i.)  Figure  Eight:  This  bandage  is  made  by  using  a  strip  of  cheap,  un- 
bleached muslin  or  gauze  about  2^4  inches  wide,  and  6  to  8  feet  long. 
Flex  the  foot  and  make  two  circular  turns  above  the  ankle  to  anchor  the 
bandage — going  counter-clockwise  on  the  right  foot  and  vice  versa.  Then 
bring  it  down  the  inner  side  of  the  ankle  under  the  arch  and  up  the  outside 
of  the  foot.  It  is  then  carried  across  the  foot  up  and  around  the  ankle  and 
back  to  the  inner  side  of  the  foot  so  that  the  first  procedure  is  repeated. 
Repeat  until  the  ankle  is  well  braced,  then  the  end  can  be  split  and  tied, 
or  secured  with  adhesive.  Factory  cotton  is  good  but  it  is  bulky  and  apt  to 
fill  up  the  shoe  too  much.  Adhesive  tape  can  be  used  very  well  for  this 
bandage,  and  does  not  need  as  many  turns. 

(2.)  Basket  Splint:  Use  strips  of  adhesive  tape,  i  to  i^  inches  wide. 
The  longest  strips  will  be  from  12  to  15  inches.  Flex  the  foot  and  run 
one  strip  down  the  back  tendon  (the  tendon  of  Achilles)  and  under  the 
heel  and  sole  of  foot.  Then  start  a  strip  on  the  uninjured  side  of  the  foot, 
usually  the  inside,  a  few  inches  above  the  ankle,  and  carry  down  the  side 
of  the  foot  (close  to  the  Achilles  tendon)  under  the  heel,  and  up  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  foot  to  the  same  height,  or  better  yet,  a  trifle  higher,  as 


INJURIES  AND  MINOR  AILMENTS  25 

where  first  started.  The  next  strip  will  be  horizontal  instead  of  vertical. 
Fasten  the  middle  of  the  strip  at  the  back  of  the  heel  and  carry  the  ends 
along  both  sides  of  the  foot,  toward  the  toes,  but  do  not  make  the  ends 
quite  meet.  The  remaining  strips  are  applied  alternately,  vertically  and 
horizontally,  until  the  whole  of  the  ankle  is  well  covered  and  supported. 
All  strips  running  in  the  same  direction  will  overlap  each  other  about  one 
half  inch.  Give  the  bandage  five  or  ten  minutes  to  set,  before  the  person 
attempts  to  walk.  Otherwise  the  bandage  may  slip.  If  slipping,  reinforce 
with  a  "figure  8." 

e.  Bad  Arches:  Weak  arches  need  to  be  properly  taped.  In  very 
bad  cases  it  is  almost  impossible  to  do  much  to  relieve  them.  The  ordinary 
figure  eight  bandage  made  of  gauze  or  of  adhesive  tape — two  inches  wide — 
is  frequently  used  to  strengthen  and  hold  up  weakened  arches.  This 
bandage  should  be  used  in  every  practice  and  game.  In  fact  it  is  wise  to 
keep  a  bandage  on  at  all  times  during  the  training  season.  Adjust  the 
bandage  until  the  greatest  relief  and  support  is  given;  usually  this  point 
will  be  found  when  the  pull  is  made  on  the  inside  of  the  foot — ^just  the 
opposite  of  the  case  of  the  sprain. 

The  common  commercial  arch  supports  of  steel  and  leather  are  too 
heavy  to  be  serviceable  in  a  game,  and  besides  many  trainers  regard  them 
as  useless.  However,  an  arch  support  may  be  cut  out  of  felt  so  as  to  fit 
the  particular  person's  foot,  and  held  in  place  by  adhesive.  The  felt  pad 
can  be  made  to  conform  to  the  space  under  the  arch  of  the  foot.  After 
placing  the  pad  in  position,  use  a  strip  of  3-inch  adhesive  to  hold  it  in 
place.  This  strip  must  be  long  enough  so  that  when  an  end  is  brought  up 
each  side  of  the  foot  it  can  be  made  to  overlap.  Before  overlapping,  split 
each  end  in  half.  The  ends  of  the  two  lower  strips  made  in  this  way  are 
brought  together  just  at  the  base  of  the  toes;  and  the  two  upper  ends 
likewise  are  brought  together  to  overlap  just  over  the  instep.  A  very 
necessary  thing  is  to  fasten  the  inside  lap  over  the  outside  one  in  both 
cases,  so  that  the  brace  and  pull  is  from  the  inside. 

Another  very  good  bandage  is  made  with  3  strips  of  i-inch  adhesive 
in  the  following  manner:  Start  the  first  strip  on  the  outer  side  of  the 
instep  and  bring  it  down  under  the  foot  and  then  up  and  across  the  instep 
so  as  to  attach  to  the  outside  of  the  shin  about  4  inches  high.  The  next 
strip  overlaps  slightly,  only  it  starts  back  toward  the  heel,  and  ends  up 
nearer  the  middle  of  the  shin.  The  third  strip  overlaps  still  farther  back 
towards  the  heel,  and  ends  up  on  the  shinbone.  If  necessary  a  fourth 
strip  may  be  used.  Avoid  bringing  pressure  on  the  little  bone  underneath 
the  ankle  on  the  outside  of  the  foot,  as  pain  will  result  otherwise. 

f  Charley  Horse:  This  is  the  name  given  to  the  injury  which  re- 
sults to  the  muscles  of  the  upper  leg,  after  a  blow,  or  a  strain  occasioned 
by  running  hard  on  cold  days  without  warming  up  properly. 

In  treating  do  not  rub  too  hard,  and  never  beat  or  hack  as  this 
only  injures  the  already  injured  muscle  substance.    Bake  well  with  either 


26  BASKETBALL 


moist  or  dry  heat.  Hot  towels,  or  better  still,  strips  of  white  blanket,  are 
most  simple  and  effective.  A  thermolite  hand  lamp  is  sold  at  ten  dollars, 
with  an  attached  reflector.  This  outfit  is  suitable  for  applying  heat.  The 
new  Violet  Ray  machine  is  effective,  but  its  cost  of  approximately  one 
hundred  dollars  makes  it  prohibitive  in  many  cases.  Gas  or  electric  bake 
ovens  give  high  temperature  without  blistering.  Either  of  these  can  be 
made  cheaply  by  taking  a  packing  box  approximately  3>^  feet  by  five 
feet,  cutting  out  both  long  ends,  and  padding  the  sides  with  an  old  com- 
forter, and  putting  a  heavy  cover  over  each  end  that  is  open.  Place  three 
750  candle-power  lamps  on  the  upper  inside  of  the  box,  mount  the  box  on 
a  trainer's  table,  and  you  have  a  first-class  apparatus.  The  treatment 
varies  from  7  to  30  minutes,  with  only  the  affected  part  within  the  box. 

Use  olive  oil  or  the  guiacol-glycerine  solution  to  prevent  blister  when 
baking  or  applying  hot  cloths.  Do  not  rub  at  all  at  the  early  stages.  Later 
use  a  hght  massage,  always  upward.  For  protection  put  a  papier  mache 
pad  on  the  injured  muscles  and  fasten  it  tight  with  adhesive  tape. 

g.  Tender  Feet:  Bathing  the  feet  in  a  cold  water  solution  of  one  half 
pound  of  sea  salt,  mixed  with  one  half  pint  of  vinegar  and  a  teaspoonful  of 
alum  will  tend  to  toughen  them  and  prevent  blisters,  tenderness,  and 
soreness.  Another  common  remedy  is  a  mild  solution  of  tannic  acid — 
about  a  handful  to  a  bucket  of  water.  Still  another  way  of  treating  is  to 
obtain  a  compound  tincture  of  benzoin  which  can  be  obtained  already  put 
up,  and  paint  it  on  the  feet  with  a  brush  after  practice.  Frequent  changes 
of  socks  should  be  made. 

h.  Gym  Itch:  This  very  contagious  skin  eruption  is  due  to  friction 
of  the  supporter  in  the  crotch,  or  of  woolen  jerseys  in  the  armpits,  and 
should  be  treated  with  a  very  strong  solution  of  lysol.  Simple  cases  of 
the  disease  are  treated  by  washing  the  affected  parts  with  a  three  percent 
solution  of  lysol,  or  the  bichloride  solution,  or  iodine,  if  not  too  strong. 
Another  appHcation  is  a  paste  made  of  sulphur  and  sweet  oil.  However, 
for  persistent  cases,  these  treatments  are  not  adequate.  Then  a  mixture 
of  sodium  hyposulphite,  i  part  to  4  of  water  will  prove  more  satisfactory. 
Perhaps  the  best  prescription  of  all  is  the  following:  Acid  benzoic  6,  acid 
salicylic  2,  petrolas  30,  lanolin  30.  The  affected  parts  should  first  be 
washed  with  a  green  soap  and  the  treatment  applied  after  practice. 

i.  Sideache  and  Cramps:  Massage,  circular  and  deep,  will  be  found 
beneficial  in  these  cases.  Breathing  deeply,  dry  heat,  and  hot  fomentation 
are  other  aids  in  allaying  the  pain.  The  sipping  of  a  teaspoonful  of  pepper- 
mint or  Jamaica  Ginger  in  a  wineglass  of  water  will  help  give  relief. 

j.  Diarrhea:  This  is  frequent  just  before  a  game  and  is  due  to  nervous- 
ness. For  emergency  relief  use  lead  and  opium  tablets  only  under  the 
prescription  of  a  physician,  as  the  remedy  is  a  powerful  poison.  The 
trainer  can  use  a  chalk  preparation,  which  is  obtainable  at  any  drug  store, 
without  a  physician's  guidance.  For  ordinary  cases  a  laxative  of  salts  or 
mineral  water  to  cleanse  the  bowels  thoroughly  of  indigestible  matter 


INJURIES  AND  MINOR  AILMENTS  27 

is  the  best  treatment.  Boiled  milk  added  to  the  diet  in  small  quantities  is 
often  helpful  in  preventing  this  condition. 

k.  Constipation:  Things  helpful  in  remedying  this  condition  are: 
laxative  foods  (certain  cereals,  fruits,  etc.),  drinking  plenty  of  water, 
regular  habits  of  evacuation,  and  abdominal  massage.  Cathartics  and 
enemas  on  account  of  their  weakening  effect  should  not  be  used  immediately 
before  a  game.  Three  days  before  a  game  should  be  the  closest  to  give 
a  laxative.  Pluto  water,  castor  oil,  and  Rochelle  salts  are  strong  purga- 
tives; phenolphthalein  and  American  oil  are  good  mild  ones.  One  or  two 
5-grain  cascara  tablets  is  another  mild  treatment.  When  absolutely 
necessary,  a  warm  enema  might  be  administered  in  the  morning  before 
an  evening  game.  The  enema  does  not  leave  the  weakening  after-effects 
of  a  laxative. 

1.  Gas  on  the  Stomach:  A  teaspoonful  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  in  a 
glass  of  water  was  the  old  favorite  remedy  but  it  has  been  found  that  soda 
gives  only  temporary  relief.  The  use  of  magnesium  carbonate  or  mag- 
nesium oxide  according  to  the  directions  on  the  package  is  much  better. 

m.  Biliousness  and  Nausea:  A  teaspoonful  of  essence  of  peppermint 
in  a  wineglass  of  hot  water,  sipping  slowly.  Fresh  air  and  exercise  are 
beneficial. 

n.  Boils:  The  trainer  should  not  handle  these  cases  as  he  is  liable  to 
become  a  carrier  of  the  infection  to  other  players.  Boils  usually  come  early 
in  the  season  when  men  constipate  if  overworked.  The  best  thing  to  do  is  to 
send  the  man  to  a  physician.  Be  sure  to  take  away  his  towels  and  sterilize 
his  equipment. 

o.  Colds:  This  common  ailment  should  be  prevented  whenever 
possible.  Keeping  the  general  condition  and  vitality  up  to  normal, 
taking  care  as  regards  exposure  to  fluctuations  of  rain,  heat,  or  cold, 
keeping  out  of  drafts  when  perspiring,  and  wearing  rubbers  on  wet  days 
are  good  checks.  When  a  man  has  a  cold,  do  not  work  him  too  hard,  for 
in  such  a  condition  it  is  easy  to  strain  the  heart. 

The  treatment  is  to  give  a  physic  of  castor  oil  or  bromo-quinine  pills, 
and  sweat  the  man  when  he  retires  to  bed  by  giving  him  hot  lemonade  and 
piling  heavy  blankets  on  him. 

When  the  cold  is  on  the  chest  an  additional  thing  to  do  is  to  use  an 
external  application  of  camphorated  oil,  then  cover  it  up  with  flannel. 
Guiacol  and  glycerine  or  Gowan's  Preparation  as  already  prepared  answer 
the  same  purpose.  If  in  the  head,  putting  mentholated  vaseline  up  the 
nostrils  will  also  be  of  help. 

p.  Nosebleed:  Cold  water  should  be  applied  to  the  back  of  the  neck. 
Plug  up  the  nostril  with  cotton  and  pack  a  roll  of  gauze  under  the  upper 
lip  against  the  teeth  and  gums. 

q.  Ruptured  Blood  Vessel:  This  often  comes  after  a  player  has  been 
bumped,  without  the  skin  being  broken.  A  lump  will  swell  up  to  about 
the  size  of  an  egg,  and  become  badly  discolored.     The  elbow  joint  fre- 


28  BASKET     BALL 


quently  suffers  the  injury.  Use  alternate  hot  and  cold  applications,  the 
cold  first.  Any  of  the  treatments  mentioned  in  the  treatment  of  charley 
horse  are  helpful.    Consult  a  physician  for  the  ultimate  treatment. 

r.  Wind  Knocked  Out:  Place  the  player  on  his  ba-ck  and  use  arti- 
ficial respiration.  Grasp  him  about  the  waist,  raising  him  slightly  as 
you  press  in  on  the  lower  ribs  with  the  fingers.  Then  release  the  pressure 
quickly,  and  lower  him  slowly.  This  procedure  is  then  repeated,  at  the 
rate  of  not  more  than  fifteen  times  to  the  minute,  until  the  wind  is  re- 
covered. A  dash  of  cold  water  in  the  face  will  help  to  stimulate  the  res- 
piration. If  the  recovery  is  slow,  the  player  should  be  removed  from  the 
game  as  there  may  be  an  internal  injury. 

s.  Collar  Bone  Fracture:  An  indication  of  this  is  a  drooping  shoulder, 
and  the  man  will  attempt  to  support  the  arm  on  the  injured  side.  The 
player  loses  all  voluntary  control  of  the  arm.  Get  the  player  in  as  com- 
fortable a  position  as  possible,  and  obtain  a  physician  at  once. 

t.  Torn  Ligaments:  Massage  the  shoulder  with  the  guiacol-glycerine 
solution,  applying  heat  while  massaging.  When  a  ligament  is  causing  the 
trouble  the  arm  will  usually  hang  straight  down,  the  player  being  able 
to  move  it  inwardly,  but  not  being  able  to  lift  the  hand  to  touch  the 
back  of  the  head. 

u.  Water  on  the  Knee:  This  is  shown  by  a  swelling  under  the  kneecap. 
It  should  be  attended  to  quickly.  Use  the  guiacol-glycerine  solution. 
Also  apply  an  antiphlogistine  poultice  twice  a  day. 

V.  Injury  to  the  Scrotum:  Lay.  the  player  on  his  back  and  slowly 
raise  the  knees,  pressing  them  gently  against  the  abdomen.  A  cold  towel 
appHed  to  the  scrotum  will  relieve  congestion  and  pain.  If  the  man  is 
removed  from  the  game  the  cold  towel  should  be  kept  applied,  and  if 
possible,  an  ice  pack  obtained.  A  severe  case  should  be  referred  at  once 
to  a  physician. 

w.  Injured  ribs:  A  sign  of  such  an  injury  is  difficult  and  painful 
breathing.  Treat  by  taping  the  injured  side  to  limit  the  chest  motion, 
applying  the  strips  when  the  man  has  let  his  breath  out  and  is  relaxed. 
Keep  the  man  warm  and  give  a  stimulant  to  counteract  the  shock. 


CHAPTER  VII 

The  Training  Season 
I.     Schedule 

A  college  schedule  should  average  i8  to  20  games,  of  which  not  more 
than  12  are  with  important  rivals.  The  order  of  games  is  important.  When 
possible,  the  schedule  should  be  one  that  is  graded  in  difficulty,  starting  out 
with  practice  games  and  gradually  taking  on  more  difficult  rivals  until 
the  peak  of  the  season  is  reached.  After  the  season  is  underway,  two  games 
a  week  can  be  managed.  A  team  that  develops  slowly  in  this  way  is  bound 
to  have  superiority  in  the  fundamentals  over  a  team  that  has  to  stress 
teamplay  early  in  the  season  because  of  meeting  an  important  rival. 

The  college  season  usually  has  a  few  practice  games  in  December, 
and  the  regular  season  starts  in  after  the  Christmas  holidays.  The  time 
previous  to  the  Christmas  holidays  should  mostly  be  spent  in  conditioning 
work  and  in  the  acquirement  of  the  fundamentals. 

The  schedule  for  high  schools  should  be  modified  so  that  it  does  not 
include  more  than  12  to  15  games.  One  game  a  week  is  plenty  unless 
the  additional  game  that  is  added  is  of  a  practice  nature.  High-school 
players  should  not  have  to  be  keyed  up  continually  for  games  with  evenly 
matched  rivals.  It  is  not  the  additional  exercise  that  wears  a  team  down 
when  too  many  hard  games  are  scheduled,  but  it  is  the  mental  tension 
brought  on  by  the  keen  rivalry. 

If  possible,  the  first  few  games  should  be  played  at  home  as  there  is 
much  more  chance  of  victory  in  that  case,  also  a  chance  to  experiment 
with  more  players.  Familiarity  with  the  home  court,  and  the  added  con- 
fidence that  new  players  have  in  playing  before  a  home  crowd,  are  aids 
in  winning.    Victory  for  a  starter  makes  for  morale. 

A  defeat  early  in  the  season  at  the  hands  of  a  team  admittedly  su- 
perior, and  not  a  natural  rival,  will  not  damage  the  morale.  In  such  a 
case  as  this,  a  benefit  is  really  gained,  for  the  weaker  team  will  gain  con- 
siderable experience  from  being  pitted  against  more  matured  and  skilled 
players. 

Keeping  a  team  on  edge  too  long  will  surely  bring  about  a  slump. 
Between  the  hard  games  there  should  be  periods  of  relaxation. 

If  the  slump  is  one  of  mental  staleness  from  being  kept  under  a  high 
nervous  tension  too  long,  then  the  players  should  be  laid  off  entirely,  with 
their  minds  occupied  on  other  things.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  slump 
comes  from  physical  over-tiredness,  then  the  players  may  profitably  be 
laid  off  for  a  day  or  two,  with  the  workouts  made  lighter  until  they  are 
back  to  normal. 

An  important  thing  to  note  is  that  after  a  team  has  been  laid  off  for 
some  time,  that  they  should  undergo  a  stiff  scrimmage,  although  not  a 
long  one,  close  to  the  next  game.    Even  a  very  short  scrimmage  the  day 

29 


30  BASKET    BALL 


before  the  game,  will  be  a  good  thing.  The  idea  in  this  case  is  to  key  the 
players  up  again. 

When  the  two  games  are  scheduled  on  successive  nights,  it  is  wise 
forethought  to  put  the  easier  game  first.  In  this  way,  you  are  almost 
sure  to  win  the  one  game,  and  the  substitutes  can  be  inserted  if  a  good 
lead  is  obtained.   A  victory  will  be  an  incentive  for  a  win  the  second  night. 

Long  trips  are  to  be  discouraged.  A  basket  ball  trip  is  harder  than  any 
other  on  account  of  the  playing  being  at  night,  and  it  is  difficult  to  sleep 
in  strange  beds  after  the  excitement  of  hard  games.  There  is  a  desire  to 
talk  over  the  games,  and  the  coach  is  kept  busy  seeing  that  the  players 
do  not  get  into  pranks  or  start  roughhouse.  Even  a  two-game  trip  is  bad 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  best  playing  of  the  team;  financially  there  is  a 
reason  for  scheduling  two  out-of-town  games  together. 

After  a  long  train  ride  it  is  a  good  idea  for  the  players  to  take  a  short 
walk  before  eating  or  playing. 

Many  teams  take  long  training  trips  during  the  Christmas  vacation. 
This  is  a  good  way  to  experiment  and  try  out  a  lot  of  men  as  the  teams 
that  are  met  are  not  natural  rivals  and  winning  need  not  be  considered 
paramount.  However,  the  precaution  should  be  taken  not  to  schedule  any 
important  games  at  home  following  such  a  trip,  as  the  team  will  suffer 
a  let  down.  It  will  take  at  least  two  weeks  to  recover  from  a  trip  lasting  a 
week  or  ten  days.  During  the  period  of  recovery  easy  games  should  be  on 
the  schedule.  The  players  will  be  making  up  for  lost  sleep  and  react 
slowly  when  on  the  floor.  While  it  is  too  early  in  the  season  for  them  to  be 
stale,  a  sign  that  they  are  over-tired  will  show  in  the  fact  that  they  will  be 
off  color,  but  will  show  flashes  of  form  in  sudden  spurts. 

On  a  two-game  trip  the  college  teams  frequently  arrange  to  play  on 
Saturday  and  on  Monday  nights.  There  is  a  reason  other  than  the  idea  of 
giving  a  day  of  rest  between  games;  that  is,  the  fact  that  on  the  college 
schedules  there  is  apt  to  be  a  long  train  ride  between  the  two  stops.  If 
a  sleeper  is  taken,  it  is  difficult  to  rest;  and  if  the  trip  is  taken  by  day  it 
tires  the  men,  and  also  fails  to  give  the  team  a  chance  to  take  a  morning 
practice  on  the  strange  floor  to  get  accustomed  to  it.  When  it  is  necessary 
to  take  a  sleeper  ride,  the  middle  sections  should  be  secured  instead  of 
those  at  either  end,  which  are  over  the  wheels  and  get  the  jolting. 

The  high-school  teams  on  a  two-day  trip  find  it  better  to  play  Friday 
and  Saturday  nights,  as  the  distance  to  be  travelled  is  shorter  and  there  is 
less  loss  of  school  time.  Usually  a  team  will  play  in  good  form  the  second 
night  handrunning,  for  even  though  tired  out  physically,  the  men  are  still 
so  keyed  up  mentally  as  to  be  able  to  play  on  reserve  force.  However,  if 
a  third  hard  game  is  attempted  the  team  will  most  likely  go  to  pieces. 

Most  states  now  conduct  basket  ball  tournaments  for  their  high 
schools.  This  means  that  a  loss  of  a  game  during  the  regular  playing 
season  need  not  be  considered  too  seriously,  as  the  state  championship 
is  usually  decided  at  the  tournament.    Coaches  should  conserve  the  power 


1 


THE  TRAINING  SEASON  31 

of  their  teams,  as  the  basket  ball  season  is  the  longest  of  any  school  sport, 
and  a  team  carried  at  full  speed  throughout  the  season  is  apt  to  be  stale 
for  the  tournament.  Big  scores  in  the  early  tournament  elimination 
should  not  be  tried  for;  instead,  the  team  should  save  its  men  as  much  as 
possible,  starting  the  good  combination  so  as  not  to  be  taken  unawares, 
but  substituting  as  soon  as  it  is  safe,  and  playing  a  conservative  game. 

2.     Handling  the  Squad 

Training  should  start  about  the  first  of  November,  with  the  candidates 
called  out  twice  a  week.  The  experienced  players  or  the  men  out  for  foot- 
ball should  be  excused,  but  all  beginners  should  come  out.  The  w^ork  at 
first  should  include  many  talks  on  rules,  hygiene  of  training,  ethics,  team 
spirit,  and  general  points  about  the  game.  The  emphasis  on  the  playing 
floor  should  be  entirely  on  the  fundamentals.  This  is  the  time  to  acquire 
the  technique  of  the  fundamentals,  so  that  by  the  time  the  schedule  actually 
commences,  the  players  can  do  them  automatically.  It  is  all  right  to 
scrimmage  the  men  whose  abilities  are  unknown,  but  a  diflFerent  course 
must  be  followed  with  those  picked  for  the  squad.  With  members  of  the 
squad,  which  is  large  at  first,  the  fundamentals  should  be  continued  until 
the  work  actually  becomes  drudgery,  because  the  season  is  long  anyway, 
and  it  is  well  to  save  the  interesting  things  until  they  are  needed  to  keep 
up  the  interest.  Early  in  the  season  it  is  a  good  thing  to  have  the  men  come 
in  small  groups  so  that  the  coach  can  spend  much  time  in  individual 
attention,  a  thing  that  is  next  to  impossible  after  the  team  is  picked, 
when  emphasis  is  bound  to  be  on  teamplay. 

The  squad  should  be  gradually  reduced.  It  may  be  necessary  to  make 
arbitrary  cuts,  but  many  men  drop  oflF  of  their  own  accord  as  soon  as  they 
see  that  other  men  are  being  given  preference  in  the  teams  chosen  for  the 
scrimmages. 

While  a  large  number  still  remain  out  the  older  and  experienced 
players  can  be  used  to  good  advantage,  by  placing  them  in  charge  of  squads 
of  new  men.  This  not  only  gives  the  coach  more  assistance,  but  is  a  help 
to  the  regular  players,  for  they  will  have  to  think  basket  ball  to  answer 
the  many  questions  that  will  be  brought  up  by  the  teams  for  which  they 
are  responsible. 

The  squad  that  is  finally  chosen  for  the  season's  schedule,  should  con- 
sist often  to  fifteen  men.  If  the  substitutes  rank  evenly  in  ability,  then  the 
larger  sized  squad  must  be  kept.  When  plays  are  given  out  to  the  first 
team,  it  is  well  to  try  them  out  first  against  one  of  the  weaker  squads. 
They  will  work  better,  and  the  result  will  be  that  the  players  will  under- 
stand them  and 'have  more  confidence  in  them.  The  sooner  the  coach 
can  decide  on  his  regular  men,  the  better  for  the  teamplay,  which  is 
aided  if  the  same  men  play  together.  Changing  men  continually  is  a 
weakness,  for  smooth  teamplay  is  impossible  until  each  new  player  adapts 
himself  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  others,  and  vice  versa. 


32  BASKET    BALL 


When  the  coach  makes  his  decision  on  the  right  men  to  compose  the 
team,  he  should  stick  to  it  regardless  of  the  advice  that  will  come  in  from 
all  quarters.  Of  course  this  does  not  mean  that  the  coach  should  be 
stubborn  in  his  attitude  in  favoring  a  man  who  is  clearly  not  doing  what 
is  expected  of  him.  If  the  coach  feels  that  such  a  player  is  off  form  tem- 
porarily, it  is  better  policy  to  keep  the  latter  out  of  a  few  games,  or  substi- 
tute him  after  a  game  has  been  started.  This  gives  the  impression  that  the 
coach  is  showing  no  favoritism;  and  often  the  player  is  benefitted  by  the 
short  layoff  or  by  being  given  the  status  of  a  substitute,  which  puts  an  end 
to  the  criticism  that  may  have  been  a  contributing  cause  to  his  poor  play. 

The  early  season  affords  a  good  time  to  learn  the  temperaments  and 
characteristics  of  the  individuals  out  for  the  team.  This  may  mean  that 
some  men  who  are  retiring  or  lack  confidence  will  have  to  be  encouraged; 
while  others,  who  show  tendencies  to  individual  play  (to  shoot  too  much) 
must  be  subordinated;  others  of  passive,  happy-go-lucky,  or  loafing 
dispositions  must  be  driven.  Men  who  lose  their  tempers  quickly  will 
need  to  be  shown  that  they  are  injuring  the  cause  of  their  team. 

Develop  endurance  in  the  players  through  the  actual  game.  Many 
coaches  try  to  develop  wind  by  long  distance  running,  but  this  in  itself  is 
not  sufficient.  The  game  requires  quick  stopping  and  starting,  and  efforts 
by  spurts  rather  than  steady  continuous  work.  Where  work  on  the  track 
is  introduced,  the  best  results  have  come  by  having  the  men  run  fast  and 
slow  laps  alternately. 

A  coach  should  develop  high-school  men  through  set  and  rigid  rules 
and  types  of  play.  They  lack  judgment.  College  men  are  more  mature 
and  can  be  allowed  more  initiative. 

During  the  preliminary  season  the  weight  chart  must  be  watched  very 
closely.  The  practices  should  be  increased  from  two  to  three  weekly, 
then  to  daily.  After  the  daily  work  starts  there  will  be  a  tendency  for 
the  men  to  lose  weight,  then  gradually  to  regain  it,  and  maybe  go  beyond 
the  original  figure.  The  chart  should  provide  for  weight  taking  before 
and  after  practice.  The  loss  of  two  to  four  pounds  in  one  practice  should 
be  regained  at  the  beginning  of  the  succeeding  day's  workout. 

As  the  season  is  a  long  one,  carrying  on  until  the  middle  of  March, 
and  even  to  the  first  of  April  when  district  and  state  tournaments  are  held, 
great  care  must  be  taken  not  to  work  the  men  too  hard,  as  over-training 
will  surely  result.  It  must  be  remembered  that  indoor  work  is  more 
exacting  than  the  same  amount  of  work  in  an  outdoor  game. 

The  new^  coach  starting  out  with  a  team  will  find  it  more  profitable 
to  stick  to  a  type  of  play  that  has  been  worked  out  by  an  older  coach 
and  proved  successful,  rather  than  to  experiment  immediately  with  his 
own  ideas.  After  he  has  had  a  few  years'  experience  he  will  be  apt  to 
have  sound  ideas  that  are  not  too  theoretical,  and  he  can  begin  to  ex- 
periment gradually  with  them. 

The  successful  coach  is  one  who  always  uses  foresight  in  planning  for 


THE  TRAINING   SEASON  33 

the  seasons  in  the  future.  He  builds  for  the  next  year  by  seeing  that  the 
second  team  is  given  good  attention  and  opportunity  to  get  experience  in 
games.  The  coach  of  the  second  team  should  make  it  a  point  to  use  those 
players  who  have  years  of  service  ahead  of  them.  Many  coaches  of  the 
second  team  overlook  this  point  and  go  after  victories  instead  of  building 
a  nucleus  for  the  first  team  from  the  younger  players.  The  coach  who  has 
charge  of  the  second  team  will  find  that  his  best  way  to  give  service  is  to 
give  a  thorough  grounding  of  the  fundamentals  to  the  players  in  his  charge, 
rather  than  to  try  to  perfect  any  elaborate  systems  of  teamplay. 

It  is  always  best  for  coaching  success  to  end  up  strong.  One  of  the 
worst  things  a  team  can  do  is  to  start  out  with  a  string  of  victories,  and 
then  meet  disaster.  The  spectators  are  fickle,  and  think  mostly  of  the 
moment.  If  the  team  ends  up  this  way,  they  blame  the  coach  for  misusing 
good  material;  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  team  ends  up  victoriously,  they 
give  the  coach  credit  for  having  done  wonders  in  developing  green  men. 

3.     Practice  Sessions 

Every  coach  should  have  a  definite  plan  of  the  day's  practice  before- 
hand. Too  many  coaches  wait  until  the  actual  practice  period  to  decide 
what  the  schedule  for  that  practice  is  to  be.  Such  a  haphazard  plan  not 
only  wastes  a  good  deal  of  time  but  is  apt  to  be  the  cause  of  careless 
attitude  on  the  part  of  the  players  which  in  turn  makes  for  loafing  and  a 
bad  spirit.  Start  on  time.  Then,  have  the  practice  session  divided  into 
shorter  periods,  thus  giving  a  regular  time  schedule  for  each  type  of  work. 
Of  course,  under  special  circumstances,  the  schedule  can  be  modified  to 
stress  more  the  weaknesses  that  develop.  The  schedule  may  well  be  posted, 
with  the  manager  blowing  a  whistle  at  the  expiration  of  each  period. 
Such  a  plan  is  especially  valuable  where  the  time  is  limited.  With  events 
run  off  in  pre-arranged  order  like  this,  the  practice  periods  can  be  shorter. 
Basket  ball  is  different  than  an  outdoor  game,  and  there  is  a  strain  from 
standing  on  the  hard  floor,  so  no  time  should  be  wasted  in  dawdling. 

Actual  scrimmage  is  the  best  way  to  develop  teamplay,  but  this  is 
strenuous  on  the  men,  and  most  coaches  overdo  it.  After  the  season  is 
about  half  over,  with  the  team  practically  picked,  and  the  teamplay 
developed,  the  scrimmage  sessions  should  be  short.  If  the  team  is  playing 
two  games  a  week,  it  is  advisable  to  eliminate  scrimmage  entirely;  with 
high-school  boys,  the  heavier  they  can  be  kept  the  better.  When  a 
high-school  boy  loses  weight  he  should  be  relieved  of  scrimmage  work. 

After  a  game  it  is  best  to  exercise  mildly,  rather  than  to  lay  off  entirely. 
The  mild  exercise  will  help  to  loosen  up  the  muscles,  whereas  entire  rest 
will  keep  them  stiff  and  sore.  Violent  exercise  at  such  a  time  is  bad,  for  the 
reason  that  strains  are  almost  sure  to  result. 

There  are  coaches  who  advocate  the  holding  of  practice  periods  in 
the  evenings  at  the  same  time  the  game  would  come,  the  idea  being  that 
the  men  are  familiarized  with  the  court  under  the  same  lighting,  and  also 


34  BASKET     BALL 


are  accustomed  to  exercising  the  same  period  after  the  evening  meal.  This 
is  the  advantage;  but  against  it  there  are  the  arguments  that  the  surround- 
ings of  the  court  without  the  crowd  are  so  different  that  no  advantage  can  be 
gained;  also,  that  the  evening  practice  is  harder  physically  and  mentally 
on  the  men;  and,  that  it  interferes  more  with  the  school  work.  These  are 
true:  especially  is  the  effect  harder  on  the  players,  for  it  is  difficult  to  study 
or  sleep  after  an  exciting  scrimmage;  while  holding  the  practice  in  the 
afternoon  permits  the  men  to  calm  down  to  a  quiet  mood  for  an  evening's 
study  and  sleep.  Necessity  often  is  the  reason  that  causes  evening  prac- 
tice; the  gymnasium  cannot  be  obtained  at  any  other  time. 

In  order  to  approximate  the  conditions  of  the  game,  many  coaches 
have  their  foul  throwers  practice  after  the  regular  workout  is  over,  figuring 
that  the  men  are  heated  up  and  somewhat  tired.  The  only  objection  is 
that  the  shower  bath  should  not  be  delayed  unduly.  A  better  way  is  to 
have  the  men  who  specialize  in  this  feature  practice  fifty  shots  before 
practice  and  twenty-five  afterwards. 

A  sample  week's  workout  for  a  high-school  team  with  one  hour  for 
practice  is  shown  below.  This  assumes  that  the  game  is  to  be  played 
on  Friday  night. 

Monday:  Light  workout.  Thirty  minutes  to  discussion  of  the  game, 
showing  weaknesses  and  good  points  of  both  teams.  Any  peculiarities  of 
the  opponent's  style  of  play  are  gone  over.    Diagram  new  plays. 

Twenty  minutes'  practice  standing  still  and  passing.  Long  shooting 
with  slow  follow-up.  End  up  with  short  shots  on  run,  with  man  passing 
ball  to  the  shooter. 

Five  minutes  on  practicing  styles  of  teamplay. 

Five  minutes  to  end  up  session  with  workout  system  requiring  pass- 
ing while  on  the  run. 

In  the  Monday  work,  speed  should  not  be  emphasized  at  all.  There 
should  be  a  loosening-up  process  of  all  the  muscles  that  are  brought  into 
basket  ball  play.  After  the  regulars  have  been  dismissed,  it  is  a  good 
idea  to  scrimmage  the  scrubs. 

Tuesday  night:  Twenty  minutes  on  fundamentals,  starting  out  with 
shooting,  and  following  with  the  rebound,  dribbling,  feints  and  pivots. 

Fifteen  minutes  on  teamplay.  Running  through  plays  without  oppo- 
sition.    Instruction  in  defensive  work. 

Five  minutes  passing  against  opponents  without  trying  to  shoot. 

Twenty  minutes  scrimmage  demonstrating  plays  and  defenses  that 
have  been  practiced. 

Wednesday  night:  Twenty  minutes  on  fundamentals.    Same  as  Tuesday. 

Forty  minutes  scrimmage.  Try  to  make  as  much  interest  and  simi- 
larity to  regular  game  as  possible. 

Thursday  night:  Twenty  minutes  talk  pointing  out  mistakes  of  pre- 
vious scrimmages,  and  planning  the  campaign  for  the  game  the  next 
evening. 


I 


THE  TRAINING   SEASON  35 

Twenty  minutes  on  basket  throwing. 

Fifteen  minutes  on  teamplay — practicing  all  signal  plays  from  center, 
out  of  bounds,  etc. 

Five  minutes  running  passing  without  opponents. 

Friday  night:     The  Game. 

Saturday:  A  good  walk,  preferably  a  stroll  into  the  country,  to  remove 
the  stiffness  from  all  muscles. 

The  above  schedule,  is  merely  a  tentative  sample  of  a  practical  weekly 
program  of  work;  one  that  has  given  successful  results.  The  coach  may 
alter  it  to  suit  conditions.  One  thing  that  is  important  is  that  the  periods 
should  close  with  a  vigorous  workout,  with  the  players  sent  immediately 
to  the  showers,  there  to  stay  a  short  time  only. 

The  College  or  University  Weekly  Program:  This  should  plan  on  a 
longer  daily  workout,  of  i^  hours.  There  is  no  need  to  give  this  in  detail, 
as  the  plan  suggested  for  high  schools  can  be  followed  with  each  division 
of  the  practice  proportionately  increased.  There  are  more  occasions  to 
alter  the  plan,  because  of  frequent  midweek  games.  Too,  the  weekend 
game  is  apt  to  be  on  Saturday  night  rather  than  Friday.  Where  this  is  the 
case,  the  Friday  workout  should  be  light,  the  walk  takeif  on  Sunday.  One 
extra  hard  day's  work  will  need  to  be  inserted;  this  will  be  on  Thursday, 
with  the  work  similar  to  Wednesday,  but  somewhat  lighter. 

4.    Workout  Systems 

These  are  intended  to  give  a  systematic  and  time-saving  method  of 
practicing  the  fundamentals  and  teamplay,  and  at  the  same  time  creating 
an  interest  in  the  work  which  might  otherwise  be  monotonous. 

The  old  idea  was  that  everything  the  player  needed  to  practice  could 
be  gotten  in  his  scrimmage.  Today,  individual  work  in  the  fundamentals 
has  become  paramount  in  successful  basket  ball  coaching,  and  scrimmage 
is  resorted  to  for  the  opportunity  it  gives  of  applying  this  individual  tech- 
nique to  actual  game  situations. 

a.  Fundamentals:  Short  passes  may  be  practiced  by  having  the  squad  / 
at  one  end  of  the  floor,  divided  into  groups  of  not  more  than  four  players. 
Each  group  runs  full  length  of  the  floor  and  back  at  full  speed,  making 
short  passes  from  one  player  to  the  other.  As  they  near  the  starting 
point,  the  ball  is  passed  to  a  player  of  the  succeeding  group,  which  carries 
the  ball  up  the  floor  and  back  in  the  same  manner.  This  should  be  re- 
peated by  each  group  several  times,  as  it  is  a  good  conditioning  exercise  as 
well.  If  it  is  desired  not  to  work  the  men  so  hard,  the  plan  can  be  altered  /  ^ 
to  have  three  groups,  two  at  the  starting  point.  Then  each  group  needs 
only  to  traverse  one  length  of  the  floor  when  its  turn  comes. 

A  good  system  to  work  up  the  passing  game  is  as  follows:  Line  the 
center  and  guards  at  one  end  of  the  floor;  forwards  at  the  other  end. 
Now  the  plays  that  start  to  the  center's  left  can  be  numbered  odd  and 
those  to  the  right  are  even.     The  ball  must  always  start  from  the  center 


36 


BASKET    BALL 


K 


and  goes  to  either  guard;  it  then  is  passed  down  the  floor  and  each  for- 
ward gets  a  shot  at  the  basket  in  order.  When  the  ball  is  brought  to  the 
basket  then  the  forwards  must  change  their  positions  to  the  other  end  of 
the  floor. 

Diagram  shows  how  to  start  play. 

Ball  is  passed  to  center's  left,  then  across 
to  the  other  guard  who  has  run  down  the 
floor.  The  center  and  two  guards  work 
down  abreast.  Ball  is  passed  across  to  for- 
ward, who  hooks  passes  to  the  other  forward, 
who  shoots.  Any  number  of  combinations 
can  be  worked  from  this  plan. 

The  guards  should  develop  accuracy  in 
making  their  long  passes  by  having  a  player 
stationed  in  forward  territory,  who  may 
stand  under  the  basket  and  break  toward 
either  sideline,  or  directly  toward  the  center 
of  the  floor,  to  receive  the  pass.  This  can  be 
varied  by  having  the  receiver  of  the  pass  stand  near  the  corner  of  the 
court  and  break  toward  the  basket. 

Practice  on  the  short  shots  is  easily  carried  on  from  the  *' circle"  forma- 
tion as  shown  in  the   diagram,  each   man       _^___._^_^ 
shooting,  the  succeeding  player  taking  the  V-L/ 

rebound.  This  can  be  varied  by  having  each 
man  secure  the  ball  on  his  own  rebound,  take 
one  bounce,  and  then  make  a  *'hook"  pass, 
to  the  following  player,  who  catches  the  ball 
on  the  full  run.  As  the  pass  will  not  always 
reach  the  player  in  the  same  direction  with 
regard  to  the  basket,  he  will  practice  in 
shooting  from  either  the  near  or  far  side  of  the  basket. 

^  Another  practice  diagram  for  passes  and 

short  shots:  6  maybe  stationary  and  feeds 
the  ball  to  the  line  of  men,  one  after  the 
other.    The  receivers  should  get  close  shots 
(^  0  from  all  angles,  banking  the  ball  from  both 

(D  the  near  and  the  far  sides  of  the  basket,  and 

Q)  also   shooting   clear   on    shove    shots   from 

(4)  straight  in  front  of  it.     A  good  practice  in 

placing  passes  ahead  of  the  receiver,  and  in 
giving  the  latter  a  shot  on  the  dead  run,  can 
be  obtained  by  placing  a  man  at  5.  5  passes 
ahead  of  i.  The  practice  can  be  varied  by 
moving  the  line  of  shooters  farther  back,  and  making  them  take  a  fast 
bounce  and  shot  after  receiving  the  pass. 


%ee^ 


^S^ 


"~^ — 

OooioO 


\ 


THE  TRAINING  SEASON  37 

5  can  pass  to  i,  with  the  latter  back-passing  to  5,  who  criss-crosses  be- 
hind him. 

A  fast  working  combination  can  be  made  by  rotating  the  whole  line, 
6  passes  to  5,  and  5  passes  to  i.  6  takes  5's  place,  i  takes  6's  place,  and  5 
moves  to  the  back  of  the  line. 

A  good  practice  for  the  long  loop  shots  is  shown  below.  It  is  also  use- 
ful in  timing  the-  straight  rebound. 

Each  man  takes  the  long  shot,  then  follows 
it  up  for  the  rebound,  and  finishes  by  passing 
to  the  next  man  in  line.  The  players  should 
keep  shifting  their  places  in  the  line,  so  as  to 
get  shots  from  different  angles. 

To  acquire  the  arch  to  a  long  shot,  it  is  a 
good  plan  to  place  a  rope  at  a  certain  height 
and  make  the  players  shoot  over  this  rope. 
Another  way  is  to  stand  one  player  in  front  of  the  shooter,  and  make  the 
first  man  raise  his  hands  over  his  head  when  the  shooter  lets  go  of  the 
ball,  which  will  make  the  latter  get  the  right  height  to  his  shot. 

A  workout  on  the  dribble  should  include  a  dribble  for  a  short  distance, 
ending  with  a  pass  to  a  teammate  under  the  basket;  also,  a  dribble  ending 
with  a  "close-up"  shot  by  the  dribbler;  finally,  a  dribble,  pass  to  team- 
mate, and  return  pass  to  the  dribbler  for  a  shot.-  The  technique  of  pivoting 
may  be  improved  by  starting  the  dribble  with  a  pivot  and  later  including 
a  pivot  around  a  player  stationed  in  the  path  of  the  dribble. 

To  practice  the  dribble  it  is  a  good  plan  to  place  obstacles  on  the 
floor  at  certain  distances  apart  and  let  the  players  dribble  in  and  out 
among  them,  first  working  slowly  for  form,  and  then  more  rapidly  for 
speed. 

A  good  method  to  work  for  speed  on  the  dribble  is  to  divide  the  squad 
into  two  or  more  teams,  and  work  a  shuttle  relay  race.  Each  man  dribbles 
the  ball  the  full  length  of  the  court,  then  gives  it  to  the  succeeding  team- 
mate, who  dribbles  it  the  opposite  direction. 

To  practice  the  pivot:  Line  the  men  up  in  a  row  facing  away  from  the 
basket.  Let  one  man  pass  to  the  leading  player,  and  he  will  pivot  toward 
the  outside  of  the  court  and  then  dribble  and  shoot.  Practice  pivoting  to 
right  and  left. 

To  practice  the  pivot  or  reverse  at  the  end  of  the  dribble:  Place  some 
obstacle  near  the  basket,  and  let  the  players  dribble  down  to  it  and  pivot 
around  it,  finishing  up  with  a  shot  at  the  basket. 

To  practice  the  pivot,  back  pass,  and  block:  Stand  one  player  in  the 
center  of  the  floor.  Let  another  player  dribble,  using  a  trailer  up  to  station- 
ary man.  The  dribbler  stops,  pivots,  passes  back,  and  cuts  in  between  trail- 
er and  stationary  man,  which  will  automatically  cut  the  stationary  man 
out  of  play. 

The  back  guard  should  have  experience  in  breaking  up  the  play  with 


38  BASKETBALL 


7 


two  opponents,  one  of  them  dribbling,  bearing  down  upon  him.  Also,  the 
two  opponents  can  stand  still  at  some  distance  from  the  basket,  one  of 
them  taking  a  long  shot,  after  which  they  follow  up.  This  gives  the  back 
guard  practice  in  taking  the  ball  off  the  bank  and  pivoting  away  from  the 
opponents  charging  in  on  him. 

The  following  practice  formation  is  a  very  useful  one  which  can  be 
varied  to  include  practically  all  of  the  fundamentals. 

^  Xi  passes  ball  to  i,  then  charges  out  into 

Xa  the  playing  court. 

\^  Practice  i  on  a  pivot,  bounce  and  shot; 

and  on  a  pivot  and  dribble  in  for  a  close  shot. 
Another  method  that  can  be  used  is  to  have 
I  pivot,  block,  and  pass  back  to  2,  who  may 
either  shoot  or  "dribble  up  to  the  basket. 

Xi  then  goes  to  the  rear  of  3,  and  i  to 
the  rear  of  X3.  This  keeps  the  men  exchang- 
ing positions. 


® 


<3) 


b.  Team.  The  common  methods  of  team  practice,  are,  going  through 
the  plays  from  center  and  out  of  bounds  without  opponents  (which  is 
known  as  "signal"  practice),  and  against  opponents  (scrimmage). 

It  will  speed  up  the  signal  plays  from  center  if  two  players  are  used  in 
this  position  and  alternate  on  each  succeeding  play.  This  not  only  speeds 
up  the  play  but  affords  a  rest  for  the  center  who  would  otherwise  get  an 
undue  proportion  of  floor  work. 

A  good  practice  for  teamwork  is  to  line  the  men  up  in  the  defensive 
half  of  the  floor,  with  a  team  of  opponents  in  massed  defense  in  the  oppo- 
site half.  Then  throw  the  ball  against  the  backboard  and  have  the  back 
guard  obtain  it  and  pass  out  to  start  the  play.  Practice  breaking  through 
different  styles  of  defense,  counting  to  see  how  many  tries  are  necessary 
before  a  successful  shot  is  obtained  in  each  case.        '  • 

Variations  of  the  regular  scrimmage  are  often  used  to  add  interest  to 
the  work  and  to  perfect  certain  phases  of  the  teamplay.  One  good  way 
is  to  start  the  scrimmage  in  the  usual  way  with  the  understanding  that 
neither  team  is  to  try  to  shoot,  but  simply  to  keep  the  ball  away  from  the 
opponents  as  long  as  possible.  This  should  not  be  kept  up  long  as  the 
work  is  very  exhausting.  A  le«s  exhaustive  form  of  this  workout  would  be 
to  bring  the  ball  back  to  center  after  each  intercepted  pass  by  either  team. 
^  (i  The  stop-watch  can  be  used  to  deterqjine  the  length  of  time  each  team  is 
able  to  keep  the  ball  for  the  longest  single'period  of  possession,  and  also 
for  the  total  period. 

Another  variation  which  resembles  the  conditions  of  the  real  game  is 

^L   to  start  the  scrimmage  as  usual  but  to  handicap  the  first  team  by  not 

^^    allowing  them  to  shoot.    The  second  team  is  permitted  to  shoot  but  must 

try  to  overcome  a  lead  of  a  small  number  of  points  allowed  to  the  first 

team  at  the  beginning.  The  second  team  will  try  to  overtake  this  lead,  while 


I 


THE  TRAINING   SEASON  39 

the  first  team  will  play  their  strongest  defensively  and  also  try  to  keep  the 
ball  as  long  as  possible  when  it  is  in  their  possession. 

Still  another  way  involving  point  competition  is  to  play  two  short 
halves.  One  of  the  teams  will  be  allowed  to  score  during  one  half,  its 
opponents  playing  "solely  on  the  defensive;  and  the  conditions  reversed  in 
the  second  half.  This  will  afford  an  interesting  comparison  of  the  offensive 
and  defensive  work  of  the  two  teams. 

Another  way  to  give  a  team  good  passing  practice  is  to  add  a  couple  of 
players  to  the  second  squad;  in  other  words  play  seven  men  against 
five.  Or,  a  regular  scrimmage  may  be  staged,  with  the  understanding 
that  no  shot  made  out  beyond  a  line  half  way  to  the  center  of  the  floor 
will  be  counted.  This  will  make  the  men  try  hard  to  work  the  ball  in 
for  close  shots,  and  will  make  them  concentrate  on  the  passing  part  of 
the  game. 

An  excellent  way  of  polishing  up  the  defense  of  the  first  team  is  to 
allow  the  second  team  to  have  possession  of  the  ball  out  of  bounds  on  the 
four  sides  of  the  court  in  succession.  The  second  team  attempts  to  score 
by  means  of  its  teamwork,  while  the  first  team  breaks  up  the  play  as  soon 
as  po^ible  and  is  allowed  to  score  one  point  for  each  intercepted  pass. 
Play  is  stopped  after  a  goal  by  the  second  team  or  after  a  pass  is  clearly 
intercepted  by  the  first  team,  and  is  started  anew  by  giving  it  to  the  second 
team  out  of  bounds;  fouls  count  one  point  against  the  team  making  them 
but  do  not-  stop  play. 

The  two  guards  should  have  plenty  of  practice  in  meeting  the  situation 
wherein  three  opponents  are  pitted  against  them.  The  three  opponents 
with  the  ball  may  come  down  the  floor  abreast;  or  two  may  be  on  one 
side,  and  the  third  on  the  other;  again,  a  standing  forward  may  lead  out 
to  meet  the  ball,  with  a  teammate  advancing  toward  him  on  each  side; 
and  still  again,  the  opponents  may  try  to  criss-cross.  Placing  the  two 
guards  against  these  varying  situations  is  valuable  experience  for  them. 

c.  Before  games.  .  The  purpose  of  a  workout  before  a  game  is  to  ac- 
custom the  players  to  the  surroundings,  expecially  the  lights  and  crowds. 
This  is  helpful  even  though  the  team  is  playing  on  the  home  court,  and  is 
obviously  necessary  on  a  strange  court.  It  enables  the  players  to  get  their 
"eye  on  the  basket"  and  to  judge  the  speed  of  the  banks  in  following  up 
rebounds.  They  must  get  the  ^'feel"  of  the  floor,  and  must  size  up  other 
peculiarities  of  the  layout  of  the  court.  Lastly,  by  means  of  their  shoot- 
ing and  passing,  they  are  fully  warmed  up  and  ready  to  start  the  game  at 
top  speed. 

Most  teams,  in  warming  up,  practice  shooting  first.  The  men  stand  about 
20  feet  or  more  out  from  the  basket,  each  man  as  he  shoots  following  up 
his  own  shot.  If  it  rebounds,  he  takes  the  second  shot.  He  then  feeds  the 
ball  back  to  the  next  man  in  the  line. 

The  short-shot  workout,  which  follows,  is  more  vigorous.  The  circle 
formation  is  used  and  a  player  dribbles  in  to  the  basket  and  shoots  while 


40  BASKET     BALL 


on  the  run.  He  then  rolls  the  ball  out  to  the  next  teammate,  who  picks 
it  off  the  floor  and  repeats  the  process.  The  shots  should  be  practiced  from 
both  the  right  and  left  sides  of  the  basket,  as  well  as  the  front.  Other  teams 
use  a  circle  formation  with  a  man  under  the  basket  passing  the  ball  out  to 
each  shooter.  This  final  warmup  for  the  players  who  are  to  start  the  game 
is  taken  in  various  ways.  Some  teams  let  the  five  men  who  are  to  start 
remove  their  sweaters  and  run  around  in  their  half  of  the  floor  making  short 

7 passes.  Again  a  vigorous  perspiration  can  be  worked  up  by  having  these 
five  men  alternate  shooting  and  passing.  For  example:  No.  i  shoots. 
No.  2  follows  closely,  catching  the  ball  if  possible  before  it  touches  the  floor, 
and  passes  to  No.  3.   No.  3  shoots.   No.  4  passes,  etc. 

If  a  man  has  a  good  eye  for  shooting  before  the  game,  it  is  best  for 
him  not  to  shoot  too  much.  A  player  who  is  oflF  form  should  shoot  as 
much  as  possible  in  order  to  gain  his  ''eye"  and  get  complete  confidence. 

Players  who  are  underweight  or  of  nervous  temperament  do  not  need 

the  full  workout  before  a  game. 

j         Some  coaches  find  it  is  a  good  plan  to  take  their  team  from  the  floor 

/'    about  ten  minutes  before  the  game  is  called.    The  men  are  taken  to  the 

dressing  room  for  last  instructions  and  a  little  rest.    This  has  given  good 

results. 

The  question  arises  as  to  when  the  foul  shooter  should  take  his  practice 
throws  before  the  game.  It  is  unwise  to  have  him  practicing  from  the 
foul  Hne  while  the  rest  of  the  team  are  standing  idle  and  cooling  off.  There- 
fore, one  good  time  to  assign  to  him  is  just  previous  to  the  final  warmup  of 
the  five  players  who  are  to  start  the  game.  If  the  foul  shooter  finds  that 
he  has  a  good  eye,  there  is  no  need  for  him  to  throw  as  often  as  he  would  on 
some  other  occasions. 
\  One  criticism  of  the  foregoing  plan  is  that  the  consecutive  throwing 

of  fouls  is  not  similar  to  actual  game  conditions.  If  so  desired,  the  throws 
can  be  scattered  by  having  one  throw  from  the  foul  line  as  a  part  of  each 
round  of  the  circle  formation  practice.  After  the  attempt  from  the  foul 
line  the  succeeding  player  takes  the  ball  from  the  rebound  on  the  run,  thus 
starting  a  new  round. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Fundamentals 

1.  Catching 

The  ability  to  handle  the  ball  is  the  first  requisite  of  the  player.  Players 
should  learn  to  catch  and  pass  from  any  position,  with  either  or  both  hands; 
to  catch  any  kind  of  a  pass  anywhere,  while  on  the  run,  or  while  jumping 
in  the  air. 

The  players  should  practice  these  things  both  standing  still  and  on  the 
run.  A  very  important  thing  is  to  teach  them  the  habit  of  getting  up  into 
the  air  for  tip-ofFs  and  for  other  high  balls,  as  this  gives  an  advantage  in 
taking  the  ball  away  from  other  players  who  are  after  it. 

The  easiest  place  to  catch  is  near  the  waist  or  at  the  height  of  the 
shoulders.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  the  pass  should  be  fairly 
high.  If  passed  directly  at  the  face,  however,  the  eye  cannot  judge  the 
distance  accurately;  fumbling  is  almost  sure  to  result  because  the  player 
instinctively  ducks  or  closes  his  eyes.  Other  causes  of  fumbling  are  nerv- 
ousness, taking  the  eyes  off  the  ball  before  it  is  caught,  or  catching  with 
the  hands  in  the  wrong  position.  The  last  two  faults  can  be  corrected; 
the  first  one  gradually  wears  off  as  a  player  gains  experience  and  confi- 
dence in  himself. 

Catch  the  passes  close  to  the  body,  letting  the  hands  *'give"  slightly. 
Ihe  elbows  should  be  bent,  the  wrists  should  be  pliable,  and  the  hands  should 
be  spread  in  funnel  shape  away  from  the  body.  Do  not  fight  the  ball,  or 
stick  the  fingers  out  straight.  The  hands  should  be  in  almost  the  same 
position  as  the  hands  of  the  baseball  catcher,  with  the  fingers  spread  out, 
letting  the  force  of  the  ball  bring  the  hands  in  position  to  throw,  rather 
than  catching  the  ball  with  the  fingers  rigid,  then  bringing  the  hands  back 
for  the  throw.  The  ball  should  be  grasped  in  the  fingers  but  should  strike 
the  broad  surface  of  the  hands  first,  then  the  fingers  should  press  in  to  hold 
the  ball.  Injuries  to  fingers  will  rarely  happen  if  the  ball  is  caught  right, 
with  the  fingers  slanting  slightly  upward  or  downward — the  slant  being 
upward  if  the  ball  is  caught  above  the  waist,  and  downward  if  below  the 
waist.    It  is  well  to  put  rosin  on  the  hands  before  a  game. 

2.  Passing 

Passing  is  one  of  the  most  important  fundamentals.  It  is  the  part  of 
the  game  that  spectators  enjoy  as  much  as  anything.  When  two  good 
passing  teams  meet  together,  the  game  is  bound  to  be  fast  and  clean; 
whereas  ragged  passing  results  in  the  ball  being  on  the  floor  much  of  the 
time  with  a  scrambling  for  it  that  is  bound  to  result  in  rough  play.  A  good 
passing  team  gains  confidence  as  a  result  of  its  sure  control  of  the  ball; 
for  while  the  ball  is  in  its  possession  the  opponents  are  unable  to  score. 
This  bears  out  the  good  football  maxim,  a  good  offense  is  a  good  defense. 
There  are  several  types  of  passes  which  are  classified  and  described. 

41 


42  BASKET    BALL 


a.  Underhand 

The  underhand  pass  is  made  with  either  one  or  two  hands.  The  height 
from  which  it  is  made  varies  from  the  knees  to  the  waist.  The  arm  reaches 
downward  with  the  wrist  and  fingers  extended  downward  also;  if  a  two- 
handed  pass,  the  wrist  and  fingers  are  held  downward  in  similar  manner. 
As  a  general  rule  it  is  more  useful  to  a  team  with  small  players  than  one 
composed  of  taller  ones. 

1.  One-hand  Pass.  Usually  the  one-hand  pass  is  a  short,  swift  pass, 
made  from  the  height  of  the  middle  of  the  thigh,  with  the  elbow' slightly 
bent.  There  is  considerable  wrist  snap.  The  palm  of  the  hand  faces  the 
direction  of  the  throw.  There  is  an  upward  drive  to  the  pass  so  that  it 
usually  comes  to  the  receiver  just  below  the  belt  line.  The  one-handed 
pass  can  always  be  used  to  advantage  by  short  players.  There  is  some 
disadvantage  to  its  continual  use  by  tall  men,  because  when  running,  they 
are  apt  to  lose  balance  when  reaching  over  for  it,  or  again,  the  ball  is  apt 
to  hit  the  knee  and  be  fumbled. 

2.  Two-hand  Pass.  The  underhand  pass,  as  used  with  two  hands,  is 
found  wherever  the  short-pass  game  is  the  style  being  followed.  Both 
short  and  tall  players  need  it  frequently.  The  two-handed  pass  has  not 
the  snap  or  speed  of  the  one-handed  pass,  but  is  more  accurate  and  easier 
to  handle.  The  player  making  this  pass  usually  brings  the  ball  close  to  the 
body  about  thigh  high,  and  then  relinquishes  it  with  a  sweeping,  graceful 
full-arm  motion,  nearly  always  taking  a  step  in  the  direction  of  the  throw. 
Where  the  step  is  not  taken,  the  pass  is  to  be  made  with  more  snap. 

Common  uses  for  the  double  underhand  pass  come  in  the  following 
situations. 

1.  Following  a  pivot,  when  a  pass  is  needed  to  a  teammate  who  is 
trailing  the  play  or  circling  behind  the  play. 

2.  In  the  short-pass  game  when  a  criss-cross  style  of  team  play  is  used. 
The  teammate  who  receives  the  ball  is  meeting  it,  and  may  be  either  ahead 
or  behind  the  passer. 

3.  It  is  the  easiest  way  of  getting  rid  of  the  ball  quickly  after  receiving 
a  bounce  pass  or  picking  up  a  free  fumble. 

4.  When  a  man  with  his  back  to  his  own  basket  wishes  to  pass  away 
from  his  goal  to  a  man  who  is  advancing  toward  him.  This  pass  is  harder  to 
guard  from  behind  than  an  overhand  pass,  and  also,  the  receiver  in  this 
instance,  needs  a  float  pass  to  be  sure  of  handUng  it  without  slacking  speed. 

b.  Overhand  Pass 

The  overhand  pass  can  also  be  made  with  one  or  two  hands,  the  height 
from  which  it  is  released  being  between  the  waist  and  shoulders.  Whereas 
in  the  underhand  pass  the  arms  and  fingers  are  turned  down,  in  the  over- 
hand pass  they  are  turned  up.  In  the  overhand  pass,  however,  the  elbow  is 
bent  considerably.    The  ball  is  released  with  considerable  elbow  snap. 

I.     One-hand  Pass.     This  can  be  short  or  long.   The  short  pass  is  made 


FUNDAMENTALS  43 

with  a  snap,  but  the  long  one  with  a  sweeping  motion  of  the  arm.  Most 
generally  the  pass  is  made  shoulder  high,  the  ball  traveling  on  a  line  or 
slightly  downward.  The  palm  of  the  hand  faces  the  direction  of  the  throw, 
with  fingers  pointed  up,  and  spread  behind  the  ball.  The  ball  is  snapped 
twice,  first  as  the  elbow  is  straightened,  then  as  the  wrist  releases  it  from 
the  hand.   The  sweep  of  the  arm  is  across  the  center  of  the  body. 

2.  Two-hand  Pass.  This  is  nearly  always  a  short  pass.  The  ball  is 
held  on  the  sides,  with  palms  pressing  in,  fingers  upward,  and  thumbs 
toward  the  body.  (Occasionally  a  team  is  found  coached  to  hold  one  hand 
over  and  the  other  under.)  In  the  two-handed  pass  there  is  much  more 
emphasis  on  the  wrist  snap  than  in  the  case  of  the  one-hand  pass  made 
overhand.  The  ball  is  usually  brought  close  to  the  body,  then  released  as 
the  arms  are  straightened.  This  pass  is  an  excellent  one  for  general  use. 
No  other  pass  gives  as  sure  a  control  of  the  ball.  It  is  easy  to  coach  and  very 
accurate. 

:.    Overhead  Pass 

This  pass  is  made  with  one  or  two  hands,  more  often  the  latter,  with 
'the  ball  brought  high  over  the  head.  The  ball  is  passed  in  the  same  di- 
[rection  the  thrower  is  facing,  and  is  released  with  a  movement  of  the 
wrists.  Added  momentum  is  given  if  a  forward  step  is  taken.  This  style 
comes  natural  to  tall  players,  who  use  it  continually  in  their  teamwork 
in  passing  back  and  forth  over  the  heads  of  the  opponents. 

It  is  useful  to  any  player  in  passing  in  from  out  of  bounds.    If  he  needs 

to  make  a  long  throw,  the  one-handed  pass  is  the  handiest.    When  both 

hands  are  used,  the  ball  can  also  be  thrown  a  considerable  distance,  but 

the  big  value  comes  in  the  chance  to  feint  in  one  direction,  and  then  pass 

>r  bounce  in  another,  a  thing  impossible  to  do  with  one  hand  only. 

The  overhead  pass  is  nearly  always  found  in  the  long-pass  style  of  game, 
he  guard  needs  it  to  get  up  to  the  man  under  his  own  basket. 

\d.     Special  Passes 

I.     Push.     The  combination  catch  and  pass — the  push  pass. 

This  is  usually  used  where  the  men  are  carrying  the  ball  up  the  floor 
■abreast,  and  are  handling  the  ball  at  full  speed.  The  pass  is  short  and  is 
a  natural  result  of  the  players  going  up  the  floor  in  straight  lines,  a  type  of 
play  whose  only  chance  of  success  is  in  unusual  speed.  In  this  play  the 
Jball  is  not  actually  caught,  but  is  merely  pushed  or  deflected  in  its  course 
iby  the  two  hands  simultaneously  and  is  not  appreciably  checked  in  its 
[motion.  This  is  on  the  same  principle  as  big  league  infielders  handle  the 
>all  on  a  fast  double  play. 

As  regards  the  mechanics  of  the  pass,  the  palms  face  away  from  the  body 
jabout  chest  high,  with  the  fingers  pointing  upward.  The  elbows  are  bent. 
[The  moment  the  ball  strikes  the  palms,  the  arms  are  straightened  out  and 
[the  wrists  snapped,  giving  the  ball  a  push  to  a  teammate.   This  pass  usual- 


44  BASKET     BALL 


ly  travels  in  a  line  parallel  to  the  floor  or  on  a  level  with  the  shoulders. 
This  pass  is  effective  for  a  quick  return  pass  to  the  previous  passer. 

Another  use  for  the.  push  pass  comes  when  a  feint  is  made  to  shoot  or 
pass  and  the  ball  is  then  passed  in  a  diflPerent  direction.  In  this  pass  the 
ball  is  pushed  somewhat  lower,  more  often  waist  high.  It  can  be  bounced, 
in  this  sense  the  bounce  being  included  as  a  push  pass. 

Sometimes  the  push  is  used  underhand,  such  as  the  case  where  the 
ball  has  just  bounced  from  the  floor  and  the  receiver  pushes  it  to  a  team- 
mate without  stopping  to  catch  it. 

2.  The  Hook  Pass.  This  is  a  special  pass  of  real  value.  There  is  one 
occasion  when  no  other  pass  will  do,  and  that  is  when  the  passer  is  moving 
away  from  the  direction  of  his  throw,  being  closely  guarded  at  the  same 
time.  This  situation  often  arises  on  plays  from  center;  also,  it  is  an  abso- 
lute necessity  for  the  long  style  pass  of  play,  where  the  standing  forward 
breaks  out  to  meet  the  ball,  and  hooks  the  ball  to  a  teammate  coming  up 
the  sideline  who  cuts  in  behind  him. 

The  pass  is  made  either  short  or  long.  The  ball  is  pocketed  between 
the  hand  and  wrist,  with  the  fingers  spread.  The  right  hand  is  favored 
The  pass  follows  by  sweeping  the  arm  over  the  head  with  the  elbow  bent 
slightly.  The  player  should  jump  in  the  air,  making  a  pivot  so  as  to  land 
facing  the  receiver.  The  ball  is  released  while  in  the  air  by  snapping  the 
wrist  and  fingers.    The  ball  describes  a  downward  course. 

This  pass  is  difficult  to  intercept.    It  is  a  speedy  pass. 

On  the  long-hook  pass,  precaution  should  be  noted;  that  is,  the  ball 
should  not  be  released  with  a  side  motion,  as  this  will  cause  the  ball  to 
curve. 

Many  players  get  the  habit  of  bouncing  the  ball  once  before  making 
this  pass,  with  the  idea  of  locating  the  teammate  before  starting  the  hook. 

3.  Sidearm.  This  is  a  special  form  of  the  underhand  and  overhand 
pass,  more  often  the  former.  The  sidearm  pass  is  useful  in  order  to  pass 
around  an  opponent  rather  than  trying  to  jam  it  through  or  over  him, 
which  is  a  common  fault.  It  is  most  valuable  to  tall  men  with  long  arms. 
The  body  leans  to  one  side,  with  the  shoulder  nearest  the  opponent  raised 
high.  In  this  way  the  shoulder  and  back  are  presented  to  him  forming 
a  natural  block.  The  arms  are  extended  at  full  length,  and  the  ball  may  be 
passed  from  any  height  from  the  knee  to  the  shoulder. 

The  play  is  made  with  both  hands  or  one  hand  alone.  At  the  moment 
of  releasing  the  ball,  a  farther  reach  is  obtained  by  raising  the  leg  nearest 
the  opponent  from  the  floor. 

4.  The  Bounce  Pass.  The  bounce  pass  has  been  growing  tremendously 
in  favor.  Previously  used  occasionally  to  meet  certain  situations,  some 
teams  are  now  going  to  the  other  extreme  of  using  it  almost  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  everything  else.  There  is  a  happy  medium.  The  bounce  pass  has 
practical  uses  in  any  style  of  team  play,  and  no  team  can  aff"ord  to  be  with- 
out it. 


1 


FUNDAMENTALS  45 

The  following  situations  show  the  use  of  the  bounce  pass: 

1.  When  closely  guarded  from  behind,  and  it  is  impossible  to  raise 
the  ball. 

2.  When  out  of  bounds,  and  an  opponent  is  standing  close  in  front  of 
the  thrower.  After  a  feint  to  pass  high,  the  ball  can  be  bounced  into  the 
court.    It  is  next  to  impossible  to  prevent  this  pass. 

3.  It  is  an  effective  play  when  there  is  a  mix-up  and  scramble  for  the 
ball.  A  player  may  slap  the  loose  ball  so  that  it  will  bounce  through  an 
opening  to  a  teammate,  whereas  if  he  tried  to  pick  it  up,  he  would  be  cov- 
ered simultaneously. 

4.  When  a  pass  is  to  be  made  ahead  of  a  teammate  who  is  coming  down 
the  floor  closely  followed  from  behind.  The  pursuing  guard  finds  difficulty 
in  reaching  off  balance  to  break  up  such  a  low  pass. 

5.  Where  a  player  wishes  to  pass  to  a  teammate,  but  two  or  more 
opponents  are  between.  This  situation  is  found  in  the  front  rank  of  the  five- 
men  massed  defense.  It  is  useless  to  make  a  high  pass  over  the  heads  of 
such  opponents,  as  the  ball  would  have  to  be  lobbed,  giving  time  for  the 
receiver  to  be  covered.  The  bounce  pass  comes  in  as  the  means  to  outwit 
the  opposition.  The  ball  can  be  bounced  close  to  the  feet  of  the  interven- 
ing opponents,  so  that  it  will  pass  by  them  before  they  can  reach  over  to 
block  it.  The  pass  should  be  thrown  with  speed,  and  should  be  low  and 
skimming,  so  that  it  will  lose  little  of  its  momentum. 

The  bounce  pass  is  always  useful  as  a  play  to  get  the  ball  under  an 
opponent  after  a  threat  has  been  made  to  pass  high.  The  angle  at  which 
the  ball  should  be  bounced  varies  according  to  the  distance  of  the  pass. 
On  short  passes  the  ball  should  descend  at  an  angle  of  approximately  45 
degrees  to  the  floor  and  rise  at  the  same  angle  so  that  the  path  of  the  ball 
in  a  complete  pass  makes  a  right  angle,  90  degrees.  The  ball  should  reach 
the  teammate  about  waist  high.  On  longer  passes,  the  angle  made  by 
the  ball  in  its  course  is  larger.  The  bounce  is  most  effective  on  the 
shorter  passes. 

The  bounce  is  made  with  either  one  or  two  hands,  but  more  often  the 
two  hands  are  used.  The  ball  is  usually  released  with  a  push;  occasion- 
ally it  is  thrown. 

6.  Behind  Back.  The  pass  behind  the  back  is  rarely  used.  The  play 
is  practically  superseded  by  the  pivot  and  back  pass.  An  occasion  some- 
times arises  where  a  player  is  so  closely  guarded  from  the  front  that  unless 
he  pivots,  the  only  way  in  which  he  can  get  rid  of  the  ball  is  by  passing 
it  behind  his  back  from  right  to  left  ox  vice  versa.  It  is  very  difficult  to 
make  an  accurate  pass  this  way,  and  it  is  a  play  that  should  be  resorted 
to  rarely.  It  is  a  freak  pass,  and  time  should  not  be  wasted  in  practice 
on  it. 

When  blocked  in  front,  finished  dribblers  make  an  easier  back  pass 
than  the  one  just  described.  Instead  of  being  passed  across  the  back, 
the  ball  is  flexed  straight  back  to  a  teammate  who  is  closely  trailing.    The 


46  BASKET     BALL 


palm  of  the  hand  is  backward  and  upward  as  far  as  possible,  and  the  ball 
is  released  with  a  quick  wrist  motion. 

e.     Length  of  Passes 

1.  Long.  A  long  pass  generally  implies  a  pass  of  half  or  more  of  the 
length  of  the  court,  or  of  the  entire  width  of  the  court.  This  pass  is  always 
a  necessity  when  a  man  is  uncovered  and  in  position  to  shoot,  and  you  wish 
to  get  the  ball  to  him  in  a  hurry.  It  has  frequent  use,  too,  on  an  out-of- 
bound  play  under  a  team's  own  basket,  when  the  ball  is  thrown  clear 
down  the  floor  to  a  guard  coming  up.  Another  possible  use  for  it  is  in  start- 
ing teamwork  when  recovering  the  ball  from  the  opponent's  bank,  or 
from  out  of  bounds  under  the  opponent's  basket,  made  to  a  tall  man  at 
the  opposite  end  of  the  court,  who  breaks  out  to  meet  it  on  the  run. 

The  long  pass  should  be  quick  and  accurate  and  over  the  heads  of  any 
possible  opponents  in  front  of  the  passer.  Guards  should  practice  this  pass. 
On  a  long  pass  it  is  a  good  point,  in  case  an  opponent  is  rushing,  to  have 
the  passer  leap  high,  reversing  the  feet  in  much  the  same  manner  as  the 
shot-putter  makes  the  reverse  at  the  completion  of  his  put.  This  enables 
a  short  guard  to  get  the  ball  past  taller  opponents. 

There  is  more  chance  of  fumbling  on  the  long  passes  as  the  ball  must 
be  thrown  hard  in  order  to  carry  the  full  distance. 

There  are  various  reasons  why  the  long  pass  should  be  made  overhand 
rather  than  underhand;  in  the  first  place,  it  carries  better;  secondly,  it 
can  be  thrown  more  accurately;  again,  it  does  not  have  the  tendency  to 
curve  that  an  underhand  pass  will  have;  and,  having  height,  it  is  less 
likely  to  be  intercepted.    The  pass  is  almost  always  made  as  a  hook  pass. 

The  player's  judgment  should  tell  him  when  to  attempt  the  long  pass 
during  play,  as  there  is  little  likelihood  of  its  being  successful  when  players 
of  both  sides  are  closely  bunched  at  the  farther  end  of  the  court.  It  is 
rarely  successful  when  thrown  to  a  man  who  is  advancing  in  the  same 
direction  as  the  pass,  being  hard  to  handle  and  offering  a  good  chance  for 
an  opposing  guard  to  cut  in  and  intercept  it. 

2.  Short.  The  short-pass  style  of  play  is  commonly  used  and  is  best 
adapted  to  most  teams.  The  long-pass  game  needs  to  be  highly  developed 
before  it  is  at  all  useful.  On  the  other  hand,  the  short-pass  offense,  in  addi- 
tion to  being  most  practical  for  the  average  team,  is  capable  of  being  de- 
veloped into  just  as  highly  a  coordinated  system  as  the  long-pass  play.  The 
short-pass  system  assures  better  control  of  the  ball. 

.  The  short  pass  should  be  made  snappy.  The  only  time  to  loop  the 
short  pass  is  when  an  opponent  is  between  you  and  your  teammate  and 
could  block  the  ordinary  pass.  In  this  case  be  sure  that  your  teammate 
has  a  lead  of  a  step  or  two  and  can  beat  the  opponent  to  the  ball. 

Short  passes  are  generally  handled  close  to  the  body. 

The  short  pass  can  be  used  successfully  in  either  the  underhand,  overhand, 
or  overhead  methods.    In  this  way  it  is  more  adaptable  than  the  long  pass. 


FUNDAMENTALS  47 

f.     General  Hints  on  Passing 

1.  The  quickest  way  of  passing  is  to  pass  from  the  position  in  which 
the  ball  is  caught.  No  time  is  then  lost  in  shifting  the  hands  for  a  set 
style  of  passing.  A  team  thus  coached  will  have  the  fastest  kind  of  team- 
work, as  the  players  do  not  have  to  stop  to  adjust  the  ball,  but  can  pass 
high  if  the  ball  is  caught  overhead,  or  pass  overhanded  if  the  ball  comes 
shoulder  high,  or  use  the  underhand  pass  if  the  ball  is  caught  low. 

2.  The  speed  of  passes  is  an  important  item.  It  is  essential  not  to 
throw  the  ball  hard;  expecially  is  this  true  for  high-school  players.  There 
should  be  just  enough  speed  so  that  the  player  can  catch  the  ball  while 
on  the  run  without  breaking  his  stride.  The  slow  overhead  *' rainbow" 
is  equally  faulty  with  the  too  speedy  pass.  The  longer  the  pass  the  ipore 
speed.  The  time  not  to  throw  too  hard  is  when  a  man  is  breaking  toward 
you.  The  ideal  type  of  pais  is  easy  to  handle,  yet  has  enough  speed  to  it 
to  pep  up  the  team  play  and  keep  it  alert  and  snappy. 

3.  Most  bad  passes  come  from  inexperience.  The  player  finds  his  own 
progress  is  blocked,  and  gets  excited,  making  a  blind  throw.  In  general, 
bad  passing  denotes  a  weakness  in  the  stops,  turns,  pivots,  and  feints,  as 
a  player  versed  in  all  of  these  has  aids  in  helping  him  to  control  the 
ball.  Losing  teams  are  apt  to  go  in  the  air  and  pass  wildly.  Other  bad 
passes  result  from  lack  of  decision  on  the  part  of  the  thrower,  who  makes 
up  his  mind  and  then  changes  it  too  late. 

4.  A  bad  pass  is  not  always  the  fault  of  the  passer.  He  may  have 
allowed  for  a  break  by  the  receiver,  who  crosses  him  by  hesitating. 

5.  Fast  teamwork  implies  not  only  the  idea  that  the  ball  is  thrown 
speedily,  but  that  it  is  handled  quickly  by  the  player.  Catch  the  ball 
first;  then  pass  it. 

6.  A  loose  ball  is  nobody's  pass.  Get  after  it  hard,  even  diving  to 
the  floor  if  necessary,  to  regain  possession  for  your  team. 

7.  Don't  expect  to  receive  a  pass  while  stationary  unless  alone  under 
the  basket;   be  in  motion. 

8.  Don't  demand  too  much  of  your  teammate.  Pass  so  that  it  is 
possible  to  handle  the  ball  comfortably — so  that  he  will  not  be  caught  oflF 
balance.  Place  the  ball  in  front  of  him  so  that  he  may  get  it  with  elbows 
slightly  bent. 

9.  Don't  try  to  pass  to  a  teammate  through  an  opponent;  nor  through 
or  into  a  number  of  players  who  are  bunched. 

10.  A  bad  pass  not  only  breaks  up  the  oflFensive  play,  but  often  will 
entirely  upset  the  defense.  If  an  opponent  intercepts  it,  the  chances  are 
that  most  of  your  men  are  out  of  position  to  help  in  the  defense,  and  an 
easy  score  against  you  is  the  result,  with  a  bad  effect  on  the  morale. 

3.     Shooting 

Shooting  is  the  ultimate  end  in  the  basket  ball  oflFense.  Without  abihty 
to  cage  the  ball  most  of  a  team's  offensive  tactics  are  wasted,  and  the  team 


48  BASKET     BALL 


is  weakened* in  all  respects.  A  team  that  cannot  shoot  is  weakened  in  its 
choice  of  strategy,  as  it  must  necessarily  confine  itself  to  a  defensive  style 
of  game,  with  its  only  hope  the  chance  of  holding  down  the  opponents  to 
a  low  score.  Likewise  it  is  weakened  somewhat  on  the  defense,  as  a  team 
that  carries  the  ball  up  the  floor  and  then  misses  an  easy  basket  has 
needlessly  given  the  opponents  a  chance  to  control  the  ball,  which  ordina- 
rily would  be  declared  dead  and  brought  back  to  center. 

Good  shooting  is  due  to  a  natural  eye,  correct  form,  and  constant 
practice.  A  person  who  starts  with  an  eye  for  the  basket,  being  able  to 
hit  continually  about  the  rim  has  a  big  advantage,  as  form  in  his  case 
should  not  be  difficult  to  acquire.  However,  the  technique  of  shooting  is 
such  an  important  art  that  many  men  can  develop  into  good  basket  shots. 
Such  an  improvement  often  proves  to  be  the  case  with  players  who  have 
started  basket  ball  late  in  their  youth  and  are  backward  in  their  coordi- 
nations. Many  men  have  their  own  peculiar  style  of  shooting,  which  should 
not  be  modified  any  more  than  a  good  batter  should  have  the  natural  position 
he  assumes  at  the  plate  changed.  However,  a  shooter  should  be  all  around 
in  Tns  shooting;  i.  e.,  not  confine  himself  to  one  particular  style,  as  there 
are  many  occasions  when  special  types  of  shots  are  most  valuable.  The 
shooter  should  practice  continually  on  the  special  shots  as  well  as  the 
standard  ones,  expecially  the  ones  on  which  he  happens  to  be  weak. 

a.  The  Underhand  Loop.  The  underhand  loop  is  made  by  bringing 
the  ball  down  close  to  the  knees,  bending  the  latter  slightly;  then  with 
both  hands  swing  the  ball  upward  and  forward,  imparting  a  slight  reverse 
spin.  The  ball  is  grasped  in  the  palms,  with  fingers  outspread.  The  elbows 
are  not  bent  outward,  but  extended  straight  away  in  an  easy  swinging  posi- 
tion. The  eyes  are  kept  on  the  goal  while  the  ball  is  brought  down.  The 
lift  changes  the  thumbs  from  an  almost  horizontal  position  to  an  erect 
one.    The  body  raises  on  the  toes  in  a  follow-through. 

This  is  an  accurate  shot  but  it  has  certain  distinct  disadvantages.  It 
is  easily  blocked  as  the  arms  are  being  raised,  it  is  a  difficult  shot  to  make 
when  on  the  run,  and  an  extra  delay  is  brought  about  after  receiving  a  high 
pass,  for  the  ball  must  be  brought  down  and  then  up. 

The  common  uses  for  it  are:  first,  the  shooting  of  fouls,  the  technique 
of  which  is  explained  under  a  different  heading;  and  second,  for  a  long  shot 
by  the  guard  or  other  player  when  absolutely  uncovered,  and  alone  in 
the  center  of  the  floor.  However,  there  are  some  players  who  use  this 
style  all  the  time,  having  the  knack  of  getting  the  ball  away  quickly. 

In  the  early  days  of  basket  ball,  the  underhand  method  was  the  stan- 
dard way  of  shoo*-ing.  It  is  the  natural  throw.  Then  it  fell  into  disfavor 
as  the  overhand  loop  came  into  vogue.  Now  it  is  coming  back  into  usage, 
but  with  this  change:  instead  of  making  the  lift  shot,  an  upward  wrist 
snap  is  used  exclusively.  This  type  of  shot,  when  used  with  the  hands  to 
one  side  of  the  shooter,  is  fairly  accurate  when  shooting  off^  balance,  as  it 
depends  on  the  wrists  only. 


FUNDAMENTALS  49 

b.  Overhand  Loop.  The  overhand  loop  shot  is  the  best  all  around  lotig 
shot,  and  should  be  mastered  by  every  player.  This  shot  is  made  by  bring- 
ing the  ball  up  in  front  of  the  chest  with  both  hands,  then  extending  the 
arms  fully  so  the  ball  goes  up  past  the  face.  The  jumping  foot  is  advanced. 
An  advantage  is  gained  by  springing  from  one  or  both  feet  as  the  ball 
leaves  the  hands.  The  elbows  should  be  kept  close  to  the  body  in  an  easy, 
uncramped  position.  Many  beginners  have  bad  form  in  that  they  bend 
the  elbows  outward,  keeping  the  wrists  stiff.  By  doing  this  they  cannot 
let  go  of  the  ball  without  exaggerating  the  twirl,  and  it  is  practically  im- 
possible to  get  an  arch. 

The  ball  will  always  have  some  reverse  spin,  but  do  not  overempha- 
size the  spin.  There  are  three  forms  of  mastering  the  long  overhand  loop. 
First,  by  turning  the  palms  of  the  hands  inward  and  then  outward,  the 
ball  rolling  off  the  thumbs  and  ends  of  the  fingers,  the  wrists  giving  a 
slight  snap  at  the  moment  of  delivery.  In  this  delivery  the~^Kand?  are 
facing  each  other  first,  and  the  moment  the  ball  leaves  the  hands  the 
palms  are  turned  away  from  the  face  of  the  shooter.  Second,  the  hands 
are  placed  slightly  closer  together  than  in  the  first  method,  with  the  palms 
of  the  hands  away  from  the  face  and  the  thumbs  pointing  toward  each  other. 
The  ball  rolls  off  the  tips  of  the  fingers  at  the  moment  of  delivery.  This 
is  more  of  a  push  than  the  first  method.  It  has  the  advantage  of  giving 
longer  distance  as  well  as  accuracy.  The  third  way  of  lofting  the  ball  uses 
the  same  preliminary  mechanics  as  the  second  method  described,  but  the 
method  of  releasing  the  ball  is  different.  In  the  third  case,  the  ball  is  given 
a  push  with  the  hands  and  wrists  held  stiff.  Neither  are  the  fingers  whipped 
under  the  ball. 

In  all  of  these  styles  of  the  overhand  loop  the  ball  should  be  supported 
•lightly  in  the  palms  of  the  hands,  with  the  fingers  spread.  The  heels  of 
the  hands  should  not  touch  the  center  of  the  ball.  Care  should  be  taken 
that  the  same  momentum  be  imparted  to  the  ball  by  each  hand,  other- 
wise the  ball  will  be  pulled  to  the  side  last  released.  The  arms  should 
straighten  out  to  the  fullest  possible  extent,  with  the  ball  leaving  the  index 
fingers  last,  enabling  it  to  be  controlled  to  the  final  moment  of  release. 

Arch  the  ball  high,  as  the  straighter  it  comes  down  the  larger  the  circle 
it  has  to  drop  through,  and  if  it  hits  the  rim,  it  will  often  bound  up  and 
come  back  through  the  basket.  There  are  three  other  reasons  for  the  high 
arch.  It  is  a  harder  shot  to  guard,  because  there  is  less  preliminary  motion, 
allowing  quicker  getaway,  and  the  direction  is  over  an  opponent's  guard; 
it  is  an  easier  shot  to  follow  in  for  the  rebound  because  the  ball  will  tend 
to  bounce  straight  up  into  the  air  if  missed  and  come  down  vertically; 
and  lastly,  when  the  ball  descends  perpendicular  to  the  floor,  the  chance 
of  its  hitting  the  backstop  and  going  into  the  basket  is  bettered,  accord- 
ingly as  the  angle  to  the  rebound  is  lessened.  Some  coaches  emphasize  the 
acquiring  of  height  by  making  their  men  crouch  low  at  the  start  of  the 
shot. 


50  BASKET    BALL 


Shoot  clear  of  the  backstop,  as  then  you  will  not  be  at  a  disadvantage 
on  a  strange  floor;  also,  if  the  shot  has  been  a  bit  too  far,  you  have  a  second 
chance  that  it  will  rebound  from  the  backstop  and  go  into  the  basket;  and 
again,  the  shooter  will  not  have  to  allow  for  the  many  variations  in  the 
hardness  of  the  ball. 

The  overhand  loop  is  used  by  some  of  the  best  foul  shooters,  their 
argument  being  that  they  do  not  have  to  master  two  styles  of  shooting. 
The  technique  is  explained  later. 

c.  Carom.  The  easiest  and  surest  shot  when  close  under  the  basket 
is  the  carom  shot,  in  which  the  ball  hits  the  bank  before  entering  the 
'hasket.  Some  players  use  the  carom  as  far  out  as  the  corners  and  are 
successful,  but  they  are  exceptions. 

Close-up  shots  at  the  side  of  the  baskets  are  generally  made  with  one 
hand.  This  shot  often  starts  out  with  the  ball  held  in  both  hands  but 
finishes  up  with  one.  In  this  case  it  is  not  a  bad  idea  to  let  the  ball  rest 
in  the  heel  of  the  hand.  On  the  carom  shot  the  player  jumps  and  locates 
the  basket  after  jumping. 

In  jumping  on  a  carom  shot  to  the  right,  take  off  for  the  leap  on  one 
foot,  preferably  the  left  one,  raising  the  opposite  knee  high.  Sight  the  basket 
while  getting  up  into  the  air,  carry  the  ball  up  with  the  right  hand  and 
give  "EngHsh"  toward  the  basket  as  it  is  released.  The  "English"  is  given 
toward  the  basket  and  slightly  downward. 

The  height  above  the  basket  at  which  the  ball  should  strike  is  variable. 
It  may  depend  upon  any  of  the  following  things:  the  extent  to  which  the 
ball  is  blown  up;  the  amount  of  "English"  given  to  it;  and  the  rigidity  of 
the  basket.  After  a  few  practice  turns  the  experienced  player  will  generally 
get  the  "feel"  of  the  backboard. 

The  opposite  directions  apply  to  a  carom  shot  to  the  left  side  of  the 
basket,  with  the  exception  that  in  the  case  of  a  right-handed  player  the 
two  hands  are  often  needed  to  control  the  ball  until  it  is  released.  A 
common  fault  on  this  shot  is  for  players  who  are  crossing  under  the  basket 
to  release  the  ball  before  they  have  worked  into  the  clear  on  the  far  side. 
This  results  in  the  ball  hitting  the  under  rim  of  the  basket.  On  this  shot 
from  the  far  side  of  the  basket,  the  ball  should  hit  the  board  at  a  higher 
point  above  the  basket  than  in  the  case  of  a  carom  from  the  near  side,  for 
the  reason  that  with  the  back  turned  to  the  basket  it  is  impossible  to 
put  as  much  "English"  on  the  ball. 

If  the  player  is  crossing  under  the  basket  on  this  play,  instead  of 
coming  into  it,  he  will  find  himself  with  his  back  to  the  basket,  and  will 
have  to  twist  the  body  toward  the  basket  while  getting  up  into  the  air. 
If  the  ball  comes  to  the  player  when  he  is  in  such  a  position  under  the  basket 
that  he  cannot  jump,  nor  take  an  additional  step  without  "progress," 
then  the  thing  left  for  him  to  do  is  to  use  the  overhead  hook. 

Often  a  player  will  be  coming  into  the  basket  at  full  speed  at  the  time 
his  shot  is  to  be  made.   The  great  difficulty  in  this  case  is  to  keep  from  im- 


FUNDAMENTALS 


51 


parting  too  much  speed  to  the  ball,  which  in  turn  rebounds  the  ball  so 
hard  that  a  basket  is  impossible.  It  is  necessary  to  relax  the  arms  and  float 
the  ball  up  to  the  bank.  This  requires  difficult  coordination  and  can  only 
be  acquired  by  constant  practice. 


The  following  diagram  illustrates  the 
use  of  the  carom  shot  as  distinguished  from 
the  loop  shot  that  has  been  explained. 

AC— 15  ft. 
BC— 15  ft. 

C — Middle  point  of  end  of  court. 

D — Middle  point  between  A  and  F. 

E — Middle  point  between  B  and  F. 

F — Foul  line. 
CF-is  ft. 


d.     Special  Shots. 

1.  The  overhead  two-handed  toss  is  used  by  tall  men  when  at  medium 
distance  from  the  basket  and  guarded  from  in  front.  The  player  shooting 
leans  back,  often  balancing  on  the  one  foot,  while  bringing  the  ball  over 
the  head  with  both  hands  for  the  toss  shot.- 

2.  The  hook  shot  is  made  almost  in  the  same  manner  as  the  hook  pass, 
except  that  the  ball  is  let  go  differently  so  that  it  goes  upward  into  the  air 
instead  of  being  brought  downward  as  in  the  case  of  the  pass.  Not  having 
such  a  full  sweep,  there  is  not  the  same  speed  as  on  the  hook  pass.  The 
player  attempting  this  shot  is  going  away  from  the  basket  and  is  gener- 
ally being  guarded  from  the  rear  or  side  so  that  he  cannot  turn.  The  ball 
is  brought  over  the  head  in  a  sweeping  motion. 

A  man  facing  the  basket  may  catch  the  ball  off  the  backboard,  step 
to  the  right  or  left  according  to  his  position  on  the  floor,  and  use  an  overhead 
hook  shot.  Such  a  shot  is  very  hard  to  guard.  A  man  is  a  dangerous 
basket  shooter  who  can  use  either  right  or  left  hand  on  this  shot. 

Another  good  hook  shot  is  as  follows:  The  player  is  under  the  basket, 
facing  the  floor.  A  pass  is  made  to  him.  He  takes  one  step  either  to  right  or 
left,  pivoting  and  facing  toward  the  basket,  using  an  overhead  hook  shot. 
This  is  also  a  very  difficult  shot  to  guard. 

3.  The  one-hand  push  or  shove  shot  is  used  by  some  players  at  com- 
pletion of  a  dribble  down  the  floor.  Instead  of  using  the  bank  they  leap 
high  at  the  conclusion  of  the  dribble  and  push  the  ball  from  the  ends  of 
the  fingers  so  that  it  goes  into  the  basket  clear.  As  the  player  goes  into 
the  air,  it  is  a  common  thing  for  him  unconsciously  to  kick  the  feet  to- 
gether in  an  eff'ort  to  get  height,  similar  to  the  additional  impetus  a  broad 
jumper  gets  from  his  hitch  while  in  the  air. 


52  BASKET     BALL 


,  e.     General  Hints  on  Shooting. 

1.  When  a  player  is  alone  in  the  field,  he  should  dribble  closer  to  the 
basket,  or  even  bounce  once  in  the  effort  to  gain  ground. 

2.  Practice  shooting  on  the  run. 

3.  Shoot  at  the  top  of  the  leap  and  from  the  shoulder. 

4.  Do  not  shoot  when  off  balance,  or  without  first  locating  the  basket. 

5.  Shoot  clear  on  long  shots;  arch  the  ball  high;  do  not  spread  the 
elbows. 

6.  Follow  the  rebound  whenever  possible. 

7.  Do  not  grip  the  ball  hard;  let  it  rest  lightly  in  the  hands.  Relax 
the  muscles  instead  of  tensing  them. 

8.  Do  not  exaggerate  the  spin,  as  proper  form  in  shooting  will  give 
the  necessary  spin  without  conscious  effort. 

9.  Watch  the  footwork.  It  is  important  for  each  player  to  discover 
which  foot  is  the  natural  one  from  which  to  leap  or  take  off  in  making  the 
shot,  on  the  same  principle  as  a  high  jumper  or  hurdler  works.  This 
should  come  natural  in  time,  but  it  is  important  in  teaching  the  beginner. 

10.  Insist  on  the  players  practicing  shots  from  around  the  foul  circle, 
as  this  is  a  point  where  many  shots  occur,  yet  little  practice  is  given  to  this 
length  shot. 

11.  In  practice  before  a  game  on  a  strange  court,  all  players  should 
note  whether  the  banks  are  fast  or  slow,  as  this  will  aid  in  controlling  the 
shots  and  will  be  of  service  in  properly  timing  the  following  up  of  the  re- 
bound. 

12.  Banks  that  are  not  rigid  help  a  team  that  do  not  arch  their  shots. 
Fice  versa,  they  handicap  a  team  of  good  shooters,  for  the  high  arched 
shots  often  bounce  out.  Glass  banks  are  very  fast,  and  loop  shots  must 
be  high  and  clean. 

13.  On  loop  shots:  have  the  feet  spread  with  one  slightly  in  front — 
a  natural  spread.  The  body  above  the  hips  is  erect  and  relaxed.  Leave 
the  floor  when  shooting — a  man  seldom  gets  a  chance  for  a  shot  while 
standing  still  unless  it  is  an  extra  long  shot.  Get  into  the  air  rather  than 
gain  distance. 

14.  Position  of  body  after  shot:  land  with  body  erect,  knees  bent, 
and  feet  spread  apart,  and  take  short  steps  toward  the  place  where  the 
ball  is  to  land.    This  requires  lots  of  practice  in  timing. 

15.  Look  toward  the  basket  before  starting  the  shot.  Do  not  take 
the  eyes  off  the  basket  until  the  ball  reaches  it.  The  majority  of  players 
watch  the  ball  instead  of  the  basket.  When  the  ball  reaches  the  back- 
board or  the  basket,  the  man  will  be  able  to  follow  it.  Aim  to  throw  so 
that  the  ball  will  drop  just  over  the  rim. 

16.  Aim  at  something.  Do  not  make  wild  shots.  You  can  figure  that 
when  a  team  starts  to  shoot  wildly  it  is  in  a  bad  way. 

17.  Do  not  change  a  man's  style  of  basket  shooting  in  the  middle  of 


FUNDAMENTALS  53 

the  season.  This  throws  him  ofFhis  stride.  Try  to  change  it  in  the  early 
season  workouts,  and  then  if  no  improvement  seems  to  be  forthcoming, 
discontinue  the  effort. 

1 8.  A  good  thing  to  drill  in  the  minds  of  the  men  shooting  baskets  is 
that  they  are  not  going  to  miss.  Confidence  in  himself  usually  makes  a 
man  good  if  he  has  other  natural  abilities. 

19.  Shooting  short  is  often  due  to  lack  of  confidence;  shooting  wildly, 
to  lack  of  calmness  under  stress. 

20.  Do  not  spend  all  your  time  on  your  favorite  style  of  shot.  Practice 
to  improve  your  shooting  weaknesses. 

f.  From  the  Foul  Line.  The  importance  to  a  team  of  having  a  good  foul 
thrower  cannot  be  overestimated.  In  nearly  every  close,  hard-fought  game, 
points  from  the  foul  line  are  the  deciding  factor.  In  one  important  game 
played  between  two  eastern  colleges  in  which  the  final  score  was  11  to  10, 
the  winning  team  did  not  make  a  single  field  basket.  The  idea  that  it  is 
a  discredit  to  a  team  to  win  on  the  superiority  of  its  foul  throwing  is  a 
mistaken  one.  When  a  point  is  made  from  the  foul  line,  it  only  partially 
offsets  a  loss  of  two  points  which  might  have  been  made  had  not  the  op- 
ponent fouled.  A  foul  thrower  is  making  a  good  record  when  he  can  con- 
sistently score  seven  out  of  every  ten  tries. 

The  form  used  by  the  majority  of  foul  throwers  is  that  described  as 
the  "  underhand  loop. "  There  are  some  players  who  use  the  overhand  loop 
successfully. 

The  underhand  loop  is  the  old  style  of  shooting  from  the  foul  line,  and 
is  still  the  favored  method.  In  this  shot,  hold  the  ball  by  the  sides,  with 
lacing  upward.  See  that  the  ball  is  held  evenly  in  the  hands,  and  that  the 
fingers  are  spread  to  a  natural  comfortable  position.  The  feet  are  spread 
apart  to  give  good  balance;  many  players  prefer  to  put  one  foot  in  advance 
of  the  other.  The  ball  is  brought  downward  between  the  knees,  which  bend 
at  the  same  time  to  allow  the  ball  to  pass  between  them  preliminary  to  the 
uplift  that  is  to  be  given.  As  the  shooter  comes  up  from  this  position,  he 
raises  the  arms,  straightens  the  knees,  and  tosses  the  ball  with  just  a  fair 
amount  of  arch  to  it.  The  ball  is  really  carried  up,  and  the  finish  will  see 
the  arms  extended  upward  in  a  follow- through  and  the  heels  off  the  floor 
to  permit  this.  This  style  of  foul  throw  is  called  the  lift  shot.  Another 
style  many  foul  shooters  assume  is  to  lean  over  the  free  throw  line,  one 
foot  ahead  of  the  other,  and  aim  to  lob  the  ball  just  over  the  front  rim  of 
the  basket.  This  results  in  a  dead  ball  with  but  very  little  arch.  Often 
the  ball  will  land  on  the  front  rim  of  the  basket  and  slide  over  into  the 
loop.  Whereas  the  shooter  will  stand  erect  on  the  lift  shot,  he  will  neces- 
sarily have  to  lean  forward  on  the  lob  shot. 

When  throwing  the  overhand  loop  shot  from  the  foul  fine,  stand  with 
the  feet  apart,  and  just  before  the  ball  leaves  the  hands,  bend  the  knees 
slightly.  They  should  be  straightened  just  as  the  ball  is  brought  upward 
and  forward.    The  bending  of  the  knees  is  of  great  importance,  as  it  gives 


54  BASKET     BALL 


elasticity  to  the  movement.    It  also  tends  to  keep  players  from  "tensing" 
the  other  muscles. 

It  is  a  bad  plan  to  count  on  the  use  of  the  bank  on  a  foul  shot,  as  no 
two  boards  are  alike.  The  best  plan  to  follow  is  to  aim  so  as  just  to  clear 
the  front  rim  of  the  basket. 

If  a  player  finds  he  is  constantly  overshooting,  he  can  correct  this 
fault  by  standing  back  from  the  foul  line  a  few  inches.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  shooting  short,  he  can  get  more  distance  by  bending  the  knees  a  little 
more,  which  gives  more  spring  and  adds  momentum  to  the  ball.  However, 
if  his  distance  is  accurat^,  but  there  is  a  tendency  to  "pull"  his  shot  to 
the  right  of  the  basket,  this  can  be  remedied  by  drawing  the  left  foot  back 
a  few  inches,  so  that  the  body  is  turned  slightly  sidewise.  The  opposite 
instruction  will  apply  in  case  the  shot  is  being  regularly  pulled  to  the  left. 
It  would  seem  that  the  logical  man  to  shoot  fouls  would  be  the  back  guard. 
He  is  not  under  the  same  physical  strain  from  running  as  the  other  men. 

It  is  well  to  have  at  least  two  of  the  men  on  the  team  practicing  reg- 
ularly on  foul  shooting,  as  the  regular  thrower  may  be  temporarily  off 
form  or  unsteady,  or  perhaps  out  of  the  game.  When  the  regular  thrower 
starts  out  badly,  it  is  a  good  move  to  put  in  the  rehef  man.  As  long  as  the 
relief  man  does  well,  let  him  continue  to  shoot,  but  the  moment  he  falters 
in  the  least,  change  back  to  the  first  player.  He  may  have  regained  his 
eye  in  the  meanwhile,  and  the  responsibility  does  not  seem  so  great  when 
called  upon  to  take  up  the  reins  after  someone  else  has  tried  and  missed. 
Then,  if  the  regular  is  still  unsteady,  the  coach  has  little  choice. 

The  thrower  should  advance  to  the  foul  line,  take  his  position,  and 
shoot  without  delay.  Waiting  too  long  will  increase  the  nervous  strain  he 
is  under.  He  should  have  one  definite  procedure;  shooting  quick  one  time 
and  delaying  the  next  makes  for  lack  of  assurance,  just  as  it  does  with  the 
batter  in  baseball  who  chooses  a  different  bat  each  time  he  goes  to  the 
plate.  The  necessity  of  making  a  choice  each  time  is  not  only  disturbing  to 
one's  confidence  while  shooting  or  batting,  but  continually  leaves  the  player 
in  a  bad  frame  of  mind  after  he  has  missed,  because  of  his  thinking  he 
should  have  chosen  differently. 

A  good  foul  shooter  is  not  only  of  great  value  to  his  team  because  of 
the  throws  being  converted  into  points  on  the  score  sheet.  Of  even  more 
importance  is  the  effect  on  the  morale  of  his  team.  A  team  whose  free 
throw  representative  can  average  7  out  of  10  throws  is  fortunate. 

4.  The  Rebound.  The  rebound  is  rightfully  classed  as  a  fundamental. 
Recovery  of  the  ball  off  the  bank  board  is  just  as  much  a  mark  of  finesse 
as  is  the  arched  loop  shot  or  the  skillful  pivot.  The  rebound  has  a  double 
value;  it  is  a  defensive  play  as  well  as  an  offensive  one.  The  team  that  can 
shoot  and  then  follow  up  to  recover  the  ball  is  not  only  doubling  its  offen- 
sive chances  but  is  keeping  the  ball  out  of  the  opponents'  possession. 

The  man  who  plays  forward,  or  whose  place  in  the  teamwork  brings 
him  quickly  to  the  vicinity  of  his  own  basket,  should  be  adept  at  this  art. 


I 


FUNDAMENTALS  55 

A  tall  man  is  to  be  preferred.  Likewise  the  man  who  plays  most  of  the 
time  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  floor — the  standing  guard — should  be  tall 
if  possible,  and  possess  the  knack  of  getting  up  into  the  air  to  take  the 
ball  off  the  opponents'  backboard.  The  advantages  of  a  strong  follow-up 
on  the  part  of  the  team  (called  A)  are  shown  as  follows: 

1.  It  gives  a  chance  for  a  second  shot,  with  the  advantage  of  coming 
into  the  ball  and  being  able  to  jump  higher  than  the  guard,  who  is  not 

under  such  momentum. 

2.  If  a  second  shot  cannot  be  obtained,  there  is  an  even  chance  for 
a  "held  ball"  with  one  of  the  opponents'  guards.  On  such  a  toss  up  near 
the  basket  every  advantage  is  in  favor  of  team  A. 

3.  If  neither  the  second  shot  nor  the  "held  ball"  can  be  obtained, 
there  is  the  third  option  that  the  ball  may  be  knocked  out  of  bounds 
during  the  fight  for  it  as  it  comes  off  the  bank.  No  matter  whose  ball  it 
becomes,  it  is  a  help.  If  given  to  team  A  it  means  a  chance  to  work  an 
out-of-bound  play  under  its  own  basket;  and  even  if  the  ball  is  given  to 
the  opponents,  there  is  still  a  gain  rather  than  a  loss  for  the  delay  gives 
a  chance  for  the  players  of  team  A  to  set  themselves  for  defensive  tactics. 
As  said  before,  a  team  may  involve  the  duties  of  reboUnd  work  upon  one 
or  two  men  who  are  especially  skillful  at  it,  leaving  a  player  who  is  weak 
in  this  fundamental  to  linger  out  in  the  field  of  play.  Leaving  the  third 
man  out  at  a  short  distance  in  the  field  of  play  not  only  prevents  over- 
crowding with  men  getting  in  each  other's  way  under  the  basket,  but 
allows  an  opening  for  teamplay,  as  a  man  who  has  followed  in  after  the 
ball  may  make  a  quick  pass  or  bat  out  to  this  waiting  player.  As  a  general 
rule,  however,  every  man  should  be  coached  to  follow  the  rebound  on  his 
own  shot,  except  in  the  following  cases: 

1.  A  carom  shot,  where  he  is  going  away  from  the  direction  of  his 
shot. 

2.  Close  shots  on  the  run  where  the  player's  speed  carries  him  out  of 
bounds. 

3.  A  shot  from  the  corner  which  overcarries  the  basket  entirely. 

4.  A  guard  should  not  follow  the  rebound,  unless  there  is  an  arrange- 
ment for  some  one  to  take  his  place. 

After  shooting  for  the  basket,  a  player  should  not  wait  to  see  whether 
the  ball  enters  the  basket  but  should  be  in  motion  toward  it,  so  as  to  be 
in  position  to  cover  the  rebound  without  any  loss  of  time.  Many  baskets 
are  made  by  alertness  in  following  the  rebound. 

There  is  an  exception  to  this  general  rule  of  following  in  fast  on  a  re- 
bound. On  short  loop  shots  from  in  front  of  the  basket,  the  player  should 
hesitate  before  following  the  rebound  closely,  as  the  ball  will  often  come 
straight  back,  and  it  must  be  timed  right  or  it  will  go  over  his  head. 

The  ball  should  be  timed  so  as  to  be  played  while  on  a  leap  into  the 
air.  Too  often  a  player  is  coming  down  from  his  jump  when  the  ball  reaches 
him.    This  practically  nuUifies  his  chance  for  a  second  shot,  as  he  may 


56  BASKET     BALL 


either  lose  control  of  the  ball  or  be  covered  before  he  can  balance  himself 
to  shoot  again.  When  timed  right  the  second  shot  is  made  from  the  top  of 
the  leap  and  is  really  a  push  shot.  On  close-up  follow  plays  the  second  shot 
is  a  push  controlled  with  the  fingers  and  a  wrist  motion. 

The  height  of  the  arch  and  the  distance  from  the  basket  are  the  deter- 
mining factors  in  timing  the  follow-up. 

A  ball  that  is  not  arched  will  come  off  the  bank  swiftly  on  a  line.  The 
well-arched  shot  will  rebound  high  into  the  air,  and  the  player  will  need 
more  judgment  in  timing  it.  However,  if  timed  right,  it  is  a  much  easier 
ball  to  handle  on  the  leap.  A  man  who  takes  a  long  shot,  or  is  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  floor  from  a  teammate's  shot,  must  tear  in  fast,  while  a 
man  close  to  the  basket  must  hesitate. 

As  said  before,  caution  must  be  observed  in  the  timing  of  the  rebound. 
If  a  man  runs  too  far  in,  he  will  get  the  ball  out  of  position  to  shoot,  and 
in  case  the  ball  should  rebound  over  his  head,  he  not  only  loses  the  second 
shot  entirely,  but  is  in  a  very  bad  position  for  defensive  help  to  his  team- 
mates. 

5.     The  Dribble 

a.  Uses  of.  The  passing  method  of  advancing  the  ball  has  already 
been  explained.  The  other  method  of  offense  is  the  dribble.  Its  main  uses 
are  to  advance  the  ball  so  as  to  force  an  opening  in  the  opponents'  defense 
or  to  get  the  ball  as  close  to  the  basket  as  possible  and  obtain  a  more 
advantageous  shot. 

Dribbling  is  a  slower  game  than  passing;  passing  is  a  faster  method  of 
advancing  the  ball  and  develops  teamplay  with  less  chance  of  individual 
starring  and  dissension  among  the  players.  The  one  big  prejudice  against 
the  dribble  has  been  on  the  grounds  that  it  breaks  up  teamplay.  There- 
fore a  player  should  always  remember  that  when  he  has  undisturbed 
possession  of  the  ball  and  there  is  an  opportunity  to  pass  to  a  team- 
mate in  an  opening  nearer  to  his  own  basket,  that  the  proper  play  is  to 
pass  and  not  dribble.  The  dribble  is  a  pretty  play — but  only  when  used 
rightly. 

Every  man  should  be  able  to  dribble,  but  all  the  men  on  the  team 
should  not  be  permitted  to  dribble  at  random.  The  men  that  have  most 
occasion  to  use  the  dribble  are  the  floor  (running)  guard  and  the  forwards. 
It  is  a  great  asset  if  these  men  are  fast  and  able  to  dribble  and  pivot  in 
good  form. 

Whether  or  not  a  man  should  dribble  in  the  opponents'  territory, 
depends  upon  their  style  of  defense.  If  the  opponents  are  using  a  massed 
defense,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  dribble  up  to  it.  Against  the  man-to-man 
game  it  is  not  good  policy  to  dribble  in  the  opponents'  end  of  the  field 
as  the  play  is  liable  to  be  broken  up,  or  cause  a  held  ball,  either  of  which 
would  give  the  opponents  a  floor  advantage.  There  are  exceptions,  how- 
ever, when  a  bounce  is  the  best  means  of  eluding  an  opponent. 


FUNDAMENTALS 


57 


The  main  uses  of  the  dribble  are  shown  by  the  following  diagram  which 
divides  the  floor  into  sections. 


^ 


To  get  close  shot  under  basket  when  uncovered. 
To  pivot  and  dribble,  to  lose  opponent.  To  gain 
ground  before  making  a  fairly  long  shot. 


To  keep  play  going  at  full  speed  when  other 
teammates  are  covered.  To  gain  ground.  To 
dribble,  pivot,  and  pass  back  to  work  ball  through 
massed  defense. 


To  gain  ground.  To  get  the  ball  out  of  a  mass  of 
players.  Note:  Many  authorities  do  not  believe 
in  the  dribble  in  this  zone. 


Offensive  zone. 


Middle  zone. 


Defensive  zone. 


Some  other  general  uses  of  the  dribble  regardless  of  section  of  floor: 

1.  To  complete  a  tip-oflF  play  when  the  man  getting  the  ball  finds  all 
of  his  teammates  covered,  and  there  is  a  chance  to  get  nearer  the  basket 
for  a  shot  himself. 

2.  To  get  the  ball  out  of  a  mass  of  players,  i.  e.,  *'  digging  up  the  ball. " 
In  such  a  situation  an  attempt  to  pick  it  up  will  result  in  a  held  ball. 

3.  Useful  in  eluding  an  opponent  by  combining  with  a  feint  or  pivot, 
or  both. 

4.  Useful  in  speeding  up  the  teamplay  when  momentarily  there  is  noone 
to  pass  to.  If  the  man  in  possession  of  the  ball  stands  still,  the  opponents 
always  have  the  advantage,  as  it  gives  them  time  to  cover  the  other  men, 
and  they  can  figure  the  man  standing  still  as  not  dangerous.  However, 
a  fast  dribble  here  will  tend  to  keep  the  opponents  confused  as  to  the  out- 
come of  the  play. 


58  BASKET     BALL 


Men  dribbling  in  the  opponents'  end  of  the  floor  should  always  work 
with  a  trailer.  Trailing  is  very  important,  but  is  hard  to  work  up  with  green 
players.  The  dribbler,  when  blocked  ahead,  can  pivot  and  pass  back  to 
the  trailer.  The  trailer  is  a  necessity,  for  the  dribbler  is  helpless  after  he 
once  stops.  He  has  to  pass — he  cannot  dribble  again  without  fouling;  his 
way  ahead  is  blocked;  therefore  he  must  be  helped  from  behind.  Too, 
the  dribblier  will  often  clear  a  space  on  the  floor  through  which  the  trailer 
can  advance. 

b.  Technique:  How  to  Dribble.  The  fingers  are  not  spread  far  apart  on 
the  dribble.  The  ball  is  not  slapped  but  is  controlled  with  a  push  of  the 
forearm  and  wrist.  The  hand  and  wrist  are  relaxed.  The  hand  follows 
through  slightly  as  the  downward  push  is  given  to  the  ball,  then  as  the 
upward  bounce  from  the  floor  takes  place,  the  hand  rises  at  the  same  time, 
allowing  the  ball  to  meet  it  before  the  bounce  has  reached  its  full  height. 
In  this  way  the  hand  gives  way  to  the  upward  impetus  of  the  ball,  but  this 
is  the  means  by  which  the  ball  is  eflPectively  brought  under  control  before 
the  next  bounce  is  given  to  it.  Thus  brought  under  control,  the  speed  and 
direction  can  be  regulated,  and  there  is  much  less  danger  of  fumble  in  case 
you  wish  to  bring  the  dribble  to  an  end. 

In  order  to  make  speed  the  ball  must  be  pushed  at  a  slanting  angle; 
if  going  slow,  merely  controlling  the  ball  until  an  opening  occurs,  the  ball 
is  bounced  almost  straight  up  and  down.  The  body  should  lean  forward  with 
the  feet  spread  enough  so  that  a  quick  shift  can  be  made  to  either  side. 
A  most  eflFective  play  is  the  change  of  pace,  wherein  a  player  temporarily 
dribbles  slowly,  which  will  tend  to  make  the  opponent  adjust  his  own  speed 
to  the  same  degree;  suddenly  the  dribbler  opens  with  a  burst  of  speed,  catch- 
ing the  opponent  off  guard.  It  is  partly  a  mental  test,  that  of  outguessing 
each  other — in  which  the  offensive  player  has  the  advantage  of  knowing  in 
advance  what  the  attack  is  to  be.  The  dribbler,  after  determining  on  his 
plan  of  attack,  must  force  the  opening  at  full  speed  without  any  vacilla- 
tion or  hesitancy.  Otherwise  the  dribble  is  useless  for  his  purpose.  This 
element  of  speed  is  also  necessary  when  a  man  has  a  clear  field  and  starts 
to  dribble  to  the  basket  for  a  close  unguarded  shot. 

The  easiest  time  to  dodge  a  man  on  the  dribble  is  when  starting  it. 
Then  there  is  a  chance  to  combine  the  feint  and  pivot.  After  once  started, 
it  is  hard  to  evade  a  man  unless  the  dribbler  is  naturally  clever  in  control- 
ling the  ball. 

Some  skilled  players  effectively  "English"  the  ball  by  hitting  it  on  the 
side  rather  than  directly  on  top,  giving  the  hand  a  sharp  twist  in  the 
same  direction  the  ball  is  to  go.  This,  however,  is  not  to  be  attempted  by 
the  dribbler  of  average  ability.  Other  ways  that  are  used  by  experienced 
dribblers  attempting  to  carry  the  ball  through  a  number  of  opponents  are 
as  follows:  the  dribbler  may  change  his  pace  as  previously  described;  he 
may  dribble  the  ball  straight  up  the  floor  with  one  hand,  then,  at  the  mo- 
ment of  being  intercepted,  cut  oflFat  right  angles,  bouncing  the  ball  with  the 


FUNDAMENTALS  59 

opposite  hand  and  making  a  front  quarter  pivot  so  as  to  use  his  body  in  a 
block;  he  may  strike  the  ball  either  with  alternate  hands  or  with  the  one 
hand,  first  bouncing  the  ball  to  the  right,  then  to  the  left,  the  general 
effect  giving  a  zig-zag  course  to  the  ball  which  is  deceiving  to  the  oppo- 
nent, and  which  may  make  the  latter  slow  down  so  that  a  spesdy  rush  will 
outwit  him. 

Ordinarily  the  ball  should  not  rise  above  the  waistline  of  the  dribbler, 
but  this  rule  cannot  always  be  followed,  for  tall  men  with  a  long  stride 
can  bounce  the  ball  higher  without  slowing  up  the  speed  of  the  play. 

Following  a  dribble,  when  one  wishes  to  get  rid  of  the  ball,  it  is  better 
to  bound  the  ball  higher  on  the  last  bounce,  as  this  makes  it  easier  to 
control  for  the  pass  or  shot,  as  it  is  not  necessary  to  lean  over.  This  is  a 
good  practice  play  for  players  who  have  a  tendency  to  fumble  the  ball  at 
the  end  of  their  dribble.  The  higher  bounce  also  helps  in  getting  up  into 
the  air  for  the  shot  or  hook  pass.  Another  point  that  the  player  will  find 
helpful  in  dribbling  under  the  basket  for  a  close  shot  is  to  take  a  long  step 
at  the  end.  This  gains  ground,  and  also  gives  spring  for  the  jump  into 
the  air. 

As  intimated  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  getting  rid  of  the  ball  at  the 
end  of  the  dribble  is  an  important  art.  An  immediate  shot  or  pass  cannot 
always  be  made;  then  the  stop  or  the  pivot  must  be  resorted  to.  The 
pivot  is  used  when  the  opponent  charges  from  in  front;  the  stop  when  the 
charge  is  from  the  rear.  It  stands  to  reason  that  the  stop  has  a  good  chance 
of  being  successful,  as  the  opponent  is  usually  trying  hard  to  run  by  the 
dribbler  before  attempting  to  guard,  in  order  not  to  foul,  and  will  be  out- 
witted. 

Occasionally  the  overhead  dribble  play  is  seen.  A  tall  man  has  the 
advantage  in  trying  this.  The  ball  is  tossed  over  an  opponent  who  is  in 
front,  and  the  attacking  player  runs  by  and  again  plays  the  ball.  Too, 
this  play  is  of  value  when  a  man  is  dribbling  up  the'  floor  with  only  one 
opponent  in  his  path.  In  this  case,  however,  he  must  not  allow  the  ball 
to  come  to  rest  in  hand  before  playing  it  over  the  opponent's  head.  If 
he  does,  it  will  be  a  double  dribble  if  he  again  plays  the  ball.  The  ball 
must  clearly  be  batted,  the  rules  allowing  the  ball  to  be  batted  once  in 
the  air. 

In  all  practice  of  this  important  fundamental,  the  dribble,  proper  form 
should  always  be  considered  ahead  of  speed.  Speed  can  come  later.  Prac- 
tice of  the  dribble  helps  the  players  to  control  the  ball  and  keep  cool  when 
the  play  is  speeded  up.  ^ 

6.     Blocking 

a.  Legal  Use.  In  the  sense  defined  by  the  rules,  blocking  cannot  be 
done  legally. 

The  rules  aim  to  prevent  any  kind  of  blocking  which  involves  bodily 
contact,  and  which  will  lead  to  roughness.      They  also  aim  to  prevent  the 


60  BASKET    BALL 


guard  from  simply  facing  his  forward  all  of  the  time  and  hindering  his 
progress  by  outstretched  arms,  and  otherwise  paying  no  attention  to  the 
rest  of  the  game.  The  rules  frown  on  this  evident  playing  of  the  man. 
However,  a  man  is  entitled  to  a  place  on  the  floor,  and  if  he  is  stationary 
in  this  space,  the  burden  is  on  the  man  who  is  moving.  However,  the  mov- 
ing player  can  time  his  progress  right  so  that  he  can  keep  the  stationary 
man  out  of  the  play  without  personal  contact  taking  place.  He  may  reach 
the  open  space  first,  or  merely  cross  in  front  of  the  opponent,  momentarily 
retarding  the  latter.  This  is  a  different  case  than  the  one  the  rules  aim  to 
prevent,  that  of  following  an  opponent  around,  checking  his  every  move, 
and  making  continual  bodily  contact.  The  latter  type  of  play  is  clearly  a 
violation  of  the  rules,  leading  to  charging  and  hard  feeling;  and  any  player 
who  needs  to  assume  an  unnatural  position  of  the  body  or  arms  to  impede 
an  opponent  is  clearly  going  beyond  his  legal  rights. 

The  above  explanation  should  show  that  the  term  blocking  is  mis- 
leading; that  it  may  be  of  a  type  that  would  prove  to  be  harmful  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  game;  or  it  may  be  a  clever,  scientific  style  of  strategy, 
such  as  is  evidenced  in  the  close  formation  criss-crossing  offense  in  which  a 
lot  of  unconscious  blocking  will  take  place.  In  any  basket  ball  game  or 
scrimmage  there  is  bound  to  be  some  unconscious  blocking  because  of 
the  natural  positions  that  the  players  happen  to  take  on  the  floor.  The 
referee  cannot  judge  an  intent  in  the  mind  of  a  player;  therefore  his  basis 
for  caUing  a  foul  for  blocking  should  be  the  making  of  personal  contact, 
especially  so  when  the  offender  is  charging,  or  assuming  any  unnatural 
position. 

Blocking  plays  are  used  a  lot,  especially  from  out  of  bounds.  When 
the  opponents  are  playing  a  man-to-man  defense,  one  player  can  often  take 
care  of  two  opponents,  as  in  addition  to  blocking  off  an  opponent  he  can 
also  draw  over  the  man  who  is  covering  him.  Then,  too,  the  regular  criss- 
cross plays  that  are  so  often  seen  on  general  teamplay  are  built  primarily 
on  the  idea  that  a  jam  will  take  place  in  the  center  of  the  floor  and  allow 
some  player  to  escape  and  get  a  free  shot.  There  are  many  officials  who 
claim  that  a  player  who  has  the  ball  cannot  block,  therefore  on  his  pivot 
he  can  get  in  his  opponent's  way.    Some  authorities  dispute  this. 

b.     Diagrams  Showing  Blocking. 

Key  to  diagram 

c — own  players 

X — a  guard  of  opponents 

I — left  forward 

2 — right  forward 

3 — center 

4 — left  guard 

5 — right  guard 


"S' 

-  basket 

— > 

-  player 

'  path  of  ball 

/Vin^WiV 

-  dribble 

) 

-  block 

FUNDAMENTALS 


61 


I.  The  simplest  use  of  the  blocking 
play  is  when  a  man  is  in  position  to  shoot, 
as  2,  and  an  opponent,  x,  is  ready  to  attempt 
to  break  up  the  shot,  i,  the  teammate  of  2, 
may  place  himself  at  point  C  in  order  to 
force  X  to  travel  the  dotted  line  to  reach  the 
shooter  instead  of  the  shorter  straight  line. 
In  other  words,  he  must  run  around  C.  If 
I  will  keep  on  running,  as  per  the  second 
arrow,  he  will  lessen  the  chance  of  contact, 
and  yet  gain  his  end  by  making  x  hesitate 


\:y — 


or  lose  a  stride. 
^ 


^  Block 


2.  Diagram  to  show  that  a  man  block- 
ing should  reach  the  open  space  first. 

If  I  runs  to  point  A,  he  has  to  travel  the 
same  distance  in  reaching  the  line  as  does  x, 
and  bodily  contact  would  follow,  the  foul 
being  called  on  I  for  blocking.  At  B,  i 
would  have  the  advantage  and  should  reach 
the  point  first  and  would  be  safe  in  so  doing. 
This  would  be  a  legal  block,  assuming  he 
does  not  hold  out  his  hands  or  arms  to  check 
x's  progress. 


3.  Blocking  pla}^  to  free  a  man  on  the 
tip-ofF. 

This  is  to  show  an  idea  of  a  type  of  play 
frequently  used,  but  which  legislation  is 
trying  to  do  away  with,  i  blocks  oflF  op- 
posing center.  This  play  could  be  altered 
by  having  2  pass  to  5  coming  up  on  the 
outside.  2  helps  in  the  block  at  center.  5 
passes  to  3. 

OX 

Wr^'pH 


©  ® 

bounds    under    your    own 


4.     Out    of 
basket. 

This  is  a  time  when  all  the  men  are 
usually  closely  covered  and  a  blocking  play 
is  used  in  order  to  get  a  man  free  to  receive 
a  pass  from  a  man  out  of  bounds — a  type  of 
play  that  is  really  illegal,  going  beyond  the 
spirit  of  the  rules. 

2  blocks  I's  opponent,  i  wheels  on  his 
man  and  escapes  him,  running  back  into  open  field  to  get  the  pass,  then 
shoots  for  basket.  2's  guard  will  likely  run  with  2.  This  is  an  example  of 
how  one  man  can  take  care  of  two  opponents,  as  explained  before.  3  may 
pass  or  bounce  the  ball  into  the  court. 


62  BASKET    BALL 


® 


^VA^y 


5.  A  type  of  blocking  play  where  the 
opponents  get  in  each  other's  way.  This  is 
considered  legal. 


7.  Feints 

A  feint  is  a  movement  of  the  hands,  or  of  the  hands  and  body,  intended 
to  deceive  an  opponent  as  to  whether  the  intent  is  to  pass,  shoot,  or  dribble; 
or  as  to  the  direction  in  which  a  pass  is  to  be  made,  or  a  dribble  is  to  be 
started. 

An  effective  use  of  the  feint  is  found  when  a  player  has  the  ball  out  of 
bounds;  by  a  quick  movement  he  may  bluff  as  to  his  intention  to  pass  in  one 
direction,  then  pass  in  another  direction.  The  deception  may  be  aided 
by  turning  the  head  and  eyes  in  the  direction  of  the  fake  pass.  For  instance, 
the  player  may  feint  to  pass  the  ball  high,  then  bounce  it  out,  etc. 

The  feint  may  also  be  used  by  a  player  when  about  to  shoot,  either 
at  the  close  of  a  dribble  or  after  receiving  a  pass.  The  feint  to  shoot  will 
be  likely  .to  cause  an  opponent  to  close  in  on  him,  thus  freeing  some  team- 
mate, to  whom  the  ball  can  be  passed  for  an  unguarded  shot  for  the  basket. 
The  feint  is  high;  the  pass  low. 

A  player  may  feint  to  dribble  and  then  pass  in  the  following  manner; 
if  the  feint  to  dribble  is  to  be  made  to  the  right,  a  long  step  in  that 
direction  is  taken  with  the  left  foot,  at  the  same  time  the  ball  is  thrust 
forward,  low,  and  at  arms'  length.  The  opponent,  who  is  assumed  to  be 
rushing  squarely  toward  the  player  who  has  the  ball  will  be  tempted  to 
swerve  in  the  direction  of  the  pretended  dribble,  and  the  player  may  then 
pull  the  ball  back  against  his  body,  at  the  same  time  bringing  the  left  foot 
back  to  its  original  position.    He  is  then  free  to  pass,  pivot,  dribble,  or  shoot. 

This  particular  feint  can  be  made  more  effective  by  slapping  the  ball 
against  the  lower  hand  when  the  step  is  taken,  then  pulling  back  and 
starting  in  the  other  direction.  A  player  may  feint  to  make  a  two-handed 
bounce  pass,  then  draw  it  back  to  use  to  any  advantage  that  the  open- 
ing presents. 

8.  Stops  and  Pivots 
igoth  o£ithese  are  very  important  in  offensive  work;   not  only  are  they 

used  by  the  man  in  possession  of  the  ball,  but  also  by  his  teammates  in 
losing  their  opponen^s.^Thev  show  the  "earmarks"  of  a  clever  team. 
[They  are  the  tricks  of  the  finished  basket  ball  player  in  the  same  way  that 

Jttg^iiodge,  whirl,  and  change  of  pace  characterize  the  clever  football  back. 

I  Although  it  is  more  essential  that  the  center  and  forwards  need  to  be  skilled 


fundamentals:  63 

in  the  use  of  these  fundamentals,  still  there,  are  many  occasions  when  the 
guards  as  well  can  use  them  to  advantage,/as  for  instance  the  back  guard, 
^hoTiasopponents  charging  in  on  hirrP^'^he  takes  the  ball  oflF  the  back- 
qoar^l  It  comes  natural  to  many  players  to  use  the  stops  and  pivots, 
while  others  mu§t  spend  considerable  time  in  perfecting  them. 

a.  Stops,  \7rhe  stop  must  be  quick  to  be  effective.  ^"Good  sticking  shoes 
are  necessan^JT^lnake  the  stop,  both  feet  must'^e  slapped  down  hard  on 
the  floor.  The  whole  sole  of  the  shoe  must  grip  the  floor  if  the  momentum 
is  to  be  checked  quickly.  There  is  a  backward  brace  to  the  body  at  the 
same  time.  This  means  that  the  feet  must  be  spread  apart,  pointing 
slightly  outward,  and  the  knees  bent.  By  means  of  this  position  the  player 
is  not  only  enabled  to  keep  balance,  but  also  to  start  quickly  in  any  direc- 
tion. On  the  stop,  both  feet  usually  hit  the  floor  almost  simultaneously, 
but  there  are  ?xceptions  where  the  stop  is  made  with  one  foot,  followed 
by  the  ather.  ,  An  example  of  the  stop  with  one  foot  is  found  when  a  drib- 
bler is  hurrying  down  the  right  sideline  with  a  guard  inside  of  him.  The 
dribbler  stops  with  the  right  foot  (the  outside  one)  and  swings  the  left 
foot  (inside  one)  toward  the  sideline,  to  let  the  guard  rush  by.  Then  he 
swings  the  left  foot  back  into  its  first  position,  and  is  balanced  for  a  shot 
or  pass.^ 

The  stop  can  be  used  effectively  at  the  end  of  a  dribble;  also  by  a 
man  without  the  ball  who  is  trying  to  lose  his  guard,  as  in  the  common 
case  of  a  forward  making  a  start  to  go  in  for  the  tip-off,  then  stopping  quick- 
ly and  reversing  back  into  the  opposite  direction.  It  can  be  a  complete 
play  in  itself,  as  when  the  man  making  it  immediately  shoots  or  passes,  or 
it  can  be  a  preliminary  move  to  a  turn  or  pivot.  The  use  of  the  stop  as 
a  preliminary  to  a  quarter  or  half  turn  is  the  one  most  frequently  seen. 

b.  Pivots.  The  pivot  is  frequently  called  by  other  terms,  particularly 
**turn"  and  ^'reverse."  The  use  of  the  word  ''turn"  probably  arose  from 
the  necessity  of  describing  the  course  of  a  pivot,  as  for  instance  the  quarter, 
half,  three-quarter,  or  full  turn  to  which  a  player's  direction  may  be  changed 
after  he  has  pivoted.  The  use  of  the  word  ''reverse"  became  confused 
with  the  meaning  of  the  pivot  in  attempting  to  describe  the  play  where 
a  player  pivots  in  a  manner  that  reverses  his  course  and  takes  him  back- 
ward in  an  opposite  direction.  The  reverse  is  a  pivot,  but  is  only  a  par- 
ticular style  of  a  pivot.  The  pivot  can  be  used  with  or  without  the  ball. 
It  can  be  made  from  a  position  when  standing  still  or  following  a  stop. 
It  is  most  useful  when  an  opponent  is  charging  the  man  with  the  ball, 
and  is  difficult  to  break  up  without  fouling.  The  player  without  the  ball 
finds  the  pivot  his  most  useful  means  of  getting  free  to  receive  a  pass;  and 
the  player  with  the  ball  finds  it  a  most  important  asset  in  controlHng  the 
ball.  The  pivot,  as  stated  before,  may  be  made  to  the  extent  of  a  three- 
quarter  or  full  turn,  but  more  often,  when  this  extent  of  ground  is  to  be 
covered,  a  succession  of  shorter  pivots  is  made;  for  example,  the  case  of 
a  player  with  the  ball  who  is  holding  it  away  at  arm's  length  as  he  moves 


64 


BASKET    BALL 


about  in  a  circle  with  one  foot  stationary  and  the  other  taking  short  suc- 
cessive steps,  at  the  same  time  using  his  body  as  a  block  to  the  opponent 
attempting  to  get  at  the  ball. 

The  common  pivots  are  the  quarter  or  half  turn,  illustrated  as  follows. 


Quarter  turn  front  to  the  right. 
Land  R — 'first  positions.  |  | 

L  and  R — ^finish'of  pivot.  T  ! 

Quarter  turn  rear  to  the  right. 


Half  turn  front  to  the  right. 


Half  turn  rear  to  the  right. 


On  all  the  above  examples  the  right  foot  is  kept  in  contact  with  the 
floor.  The  turns  may  be  made  to  the  left  by  holding  the  left  foot  in  place 
and  turning  in  the  opposite  direction  to  that  described  above. 

A  player  dribbling  down  the  floor  may  encounter  an  opponent  coming 

to  cover  him  from  either  the  front  or 
from  the  side,  in  which  case  some 
players  use  the  method  of  turning  that 
is  shown  in  the  accompanying  diagram. 
This  diagram  shows  the  left  foot  in 
front  of  the  right.  The  pivot  is  made 
on  the  left  foot  and  the  right  foot 
swings  around  about  i8o°;  the  body  is 
thrown  in  front  of  the  opponent,  who 
is  blocked  off.  If  the  opponent  is 
charging  from  the  front  there  is  a  good 
chance  of  his  rush  carrying  him  past 
the  dribbler. 

The  extent  of  the  turn  depends  on 


FUNDAMENTALS  65 

the  particular  situation.  As  a  general  rule  the  pivot  will  be  a  half  turn 
when  an  opponent  is  charging  directly  from  the  front  or  from  the  rear, 
and  a  quarter  turn  when  the  charge  is  from  the  side  or  diagonally.  The 
turn  can  be  made  to  the  front  or  rear,  according  to  which  direction  the  free 
foot  (the  foot  that  stays  to  the  floor  is  called  the  pivot  foot)  leads  out. 

The  quarter  turn  is  used  when  the  player  needs  to  lose  an  opponent, 
or  when  he  has  the  ball  and  wishes  to  face  another  direction  for  his  shot, 
or  pass  or  dribble.  Usually  this  pivot  is  a  front  one  when  an  opponent 
charges  diagonally  from  the  side  and  in  front,  and  to  the  rear  under  an 
opposite  situation.  When  charged  directly  from  the  side,  the  quarter 
pivot  will  be  a  front  one  if  the  object  is  to  block  oflF  the  opponent,  and  a 
rear  one  if  the  object  is  to  lose  him. 

The  half  turn  is  used  more  often  than  the  others  that  are  described.  It 
is  the  popular  pivot.  The  half  turn  to  the  front  is  used  after  a  dribble,  or 
after  receiving  a  pass,  when  the  player  with  the  ball  wishes  to  block  oflp  an 
opponent  charging  toward  him.  As  the  opponent  comes  up  to  him,  he 
makes  this  half  turn,  throwing  the  hips  into  the  man  rushing  him,  all  the 
while  holding  the  ball  away  from  him  as  far  as  possible.  The  opponent  is 
blocked  off  in  this  manner,  and  it  is  easy  for  the  player  making  the  pivot 
to  pass  back  to  a  trailer.  This  type  of  pivot  is  used  too  when  a  player  meets 
the  pass  and  wishes  to  lose  an  opponent  coming  from  the  rear,  and  get 
free  for  a  dribble  or  shot. 

The  half  turn  to  the  rear  is  used  by  a  player  to  lose  an  opponent  who  is 
chasing  him  hard.  He  stops,  reverses,  and  lets  the  opponent  go  by.  Another 
common  use  is  to  lose  an  opponent  charging  diagonally  from  the  front. 
The  pivot  is  made  in  the  opposite  direction  the  opponent  is  running,  to 
elude  his  charge.  This  pivot  resembles  the  football  play  called  the  whirl, 
in  which  the  halfback  tries  to  elude  the  tackier  who  is  coming  into  him: 
it  is  helpful  in  feinting  in  one  direction  and  starting  a  dribble  in  another. 
The  pivots  that  require  more  than  one  half  turn  are  more  often  made  to 
the  front  than  to  the  rear.  The  most  common  use  of  the  longer  pivots 
is  when  a  dribbler  tries  to  evade  a  man  in  his  path  and  get  into  the  open 
field.  In  general  the  shorter  pivots  are  used  to  the  rear,  and  the  long 
ones  to  the  front. 

Usually  the  pivot  should  be  made  toward  the  nearest  sideline,  as  the 
guarding  opponent  generally  plays  inside  of  the  man.  When  it  is  followed 
by  a  dribble,  it  safeguards  the  play  to  dribble  with  the  hand  to  the  side 
the  pivot  is  made,  as  the  body  is  then  between  the  opponent  and  the 
ball.  The  feint  is  combined  with  the  pivot  by  taking  a  step  to  one  side 
and  then  stepping  back  into  the  original  position  to  carry  out  the  pivot. 

Some  players  become  very  proficient  in  pivoting  while  in  the  air,  and 
this  asset  is  valuable  to  them  in  making  the  hook  pass,  and  in  meeting 
a  pass  going  away  from  their  own  basket.  By  the  pivot  in  the  air  they  not 
only  add  to  their  chances  of  losing  a  guard,  but  also  land  in  a  position  facing 
the  basket  and  allowing  a  quick  shot. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Positions 
I .    Forward 

a.  Offensive  Work.  The  forward  must  be  fast  on  his  feet,  and  must  have 
a  good  eye  for  the  basket.  Lack  of  actual  speed  is  often  more  than  counter- 
balanced by  good  judgment  in  timing  the  start  for  the  open  space  and  in 
cleverness  of  footwork.  Starting  and  stopping  quickly  are  implied  in 
the  foregoing.  If  the  forward  is  not  a  good  shot,  he  may  be  used  as  a  cog 
in  the  teamwork.  In  this  case  it  is  essential  that  he  be  a  good  passer 
and  defensive  man. 


Key  to  diagrams  in  book 

\ZZ)  own  basket 
^  left  forward 
(S)    right  forward 
(2)    center 
@  left  guard 
(§)   right  guard 


On  the  tip-off,  the  forward  should  ordinarily  play  according  to  the 
formation  his  team  assumes  at  this  time.  Assuming  that  his  team  is 
working  plays  successfully  from  the  tip-off,  he  should  observe  the  following 
points.  He  should  endeavor  ro  keep  inside  his  guard  whenever  possible, 
as  it  is  easier  to  break  away  from  this  position,  also  to  get  possession  of  the 
ball;"  however,  if  his  guard  is  playing  a  blocking  game,  the  forward  should 
shift  his  position,  which  will  make  the  intent  of  the  guard  to  block  more 
obvious.  He  should  start,  not  when  the  ball  is  thrown  up  by  the  referee,  but 
when  the  ball  is  at  its  greatest  height.  He  should  run  slowly  at  first  so  as 
not  to  give  the  play  away.  He  should  be  ready  to  leap  high  so  as  to  secure 
the  ball  before  it  touches  the  floor. 

There  are  two  good  methods  of  losing  the  guard  on  the  tip-off. 

First,  have  the  two  forwards  criss-cross  on  the  tip-off,  one  making  a 
feint  at  getting  the  ball,  or  if  it  is  a  guard-up  play,  both  making  the  feint. 

Secondly,  he  may  come  up  as  if  to  receive  the  tip-off,  stop  quickly, 
and  then  reverse  back  into  his  own  territory.  The  reverse  can  be  done  by 
pivoting  on  the  inside  foot,  and  throwing  the  outside  foot  back;  this  turns 
the  body  of  the  forward  away  from  the  court,  and  turns  his  back  to  the 
play.  When  the  guard  is  playing  a  close  man-to-man  style  of  game,  this 
is  a  good  plan  to  use.   A  second  method  of  reversing  is  to  pivot  on  the  out- 

66 


POSITIONS  67 


side  foot,  throwing  the  inside  back,  thus  keeping  the  forward  facing  the 
court.  This  is  probably  preferable  on  a  large  court  as  the  forward  does~not 
lose  sight  of  the  ball.  If,  on  the  tip-ofF,  the  forward  finds  all  his  own  men 
covered,  he  should  turn  and  dribble  for  the  basket  and  shoot.  This  works 
well  when  the  guards  are  playing  a  position  game,  and  are  not  following 
their  men  closely  on  the  tip-ofF. 

On  a  tip-off  play  in  which  the  guard  receives  the  ball  from  center,  if 
the  forward  sees  that  the  man  in  possession  of  the  ball  has  a  clear  path 
to  dribble  up  the  center  of  the  floor,  he  should  block,  or  draw  an  op- 
ponent to  the  side  of  the  floor,  thus  giving  his  teammate  a  clear  path  for 
the  basket. 

If  guarded  closely,  the  forward  should  not  run  all  over  the  floor,  but 
should  aim  to  break  away  so  that  he  will  reach  the  open  space  at  the  same 
time  as  the  ball,  beating  his  man  to  it  by  a  step,  which  is  sufficient.  He 
should  be  alert  to  get  rid  of  the  ball  quickly,  in  case  he  has  no  time  to 
shoot,  thus  preventing  a  held  ball.  It  shows  a  lack  of  aggressiveness  for 
a  forward  to  be  continually  having  a  held  ball  called  on  him. 

He  should  keep  his  eye  on  the  ball  when  running  to  a  new  position; 
and,  after  passing  the  ball,  be  ready  for  a  quick  return  pass.  He  should  not 
run  away  from  his  own  basket  or  toward  the  sideline  when  on  the  offen- 
sive, except  to  act  as  a  pivot  for  a  pass,  as  a  shot  for  the  basket  is  impos- 
sible from  this  position. 

When  receiving  a  pass  near  the  sideline,  or  at  any  place  in  the  field, 
turn  away  from  the  guard  rather  than  into  him  (usually  this  will  mean  that 
the  turn  is  toward  the  sideHne).  This  is  to  shake  off  the  guard  if  he  is 
following  closely. 

At  present  the  rules  provide  no  penalty  for  running  out  of  bounds,  to 
lose  a  guard  or  for  other  reasons.  This  is  a  play  used  by  many  fast  forwards 
who  circle  out  under  the  basket  on  the  ends,  or  run  out  of  bounds  along 
the  sidelines,  cutting  back  onto  the  playing  floor  when  an  opening  presents 
itself. 

Many  teams  use  the  following  style  of  play  if  they  find  that  their 
star  forward  is  being  continually  put  out  of  the  play  through  close 
guarding.  They  let  the  poorest  man  of  the  opponents  go  uncovered  and 
put  a  man  on  this  troublesome  guard  to  block  him  off.  This  is  a  trade, 
but  has  the  advantage  that  it  leaves  your  best  man  uncovered,  while  it 
leaves  the  poorest  player  of  the  opponents  free. 

The  forward  making  the  largest  number  of  baskets  is  not  necessarily 
the  best  player.  Try  out  different  combinations  to  discover  the  largest 
scoring  possibilities  of  the  team.  A  good  floorman  and  passer  is  a  great 
help  to  a  team,  though  he  may  not  be  a  spectacular  shot. 

It  is  a  mark  of  a  well-balanced  team  when  the  scoring  is  not  always 
confined  to  one  man.  It  puts  confidence  into  a  team  to  feel  that  if  one  man 
has  an  off  night,  or  is  being  closely  covered,  the  offensive  is  not  necessarily 
stopped. 


68  BASKETBALL 


The  coach  should  watch  the  players  during  the  warming-up  period,  and 
if  one  player  shows  an  exceptionally  good  eye,  he  may  be  advised  to  take 
more  chances  than  usual,  and  not  play  too  much  on  the  defensive. 

b.  Defensive  Work.  A  forward  is  expected  to  play  the  defensive  work 
allotted  to  him  by  his  team's  system;  or,  if  there  is  not  a  set  system,  he 
should  watch  his  own  guard  when  the  opposing  team  has  the  ball. 

When  the  opponents  have  the  ball  out  of  bounds  under  their  own  goal, 
the  forward  should  be  alert  to  watch  for  a  guard  to  come  up  the  floor  for 
an  out-of-bound  play,  as  most  out-of-bound  plays  under  a  team's  own 
basket  make  use  of  the  guards  for  the  shot. 

If  the  system,  of  teamplay  allows  the  guard  to  follow  up  his  own 
rebound,  the  forward  in  poorest  position  to  shoot  or  farthest  away  from  the 
basket  should  drop  back  to  cover  the  position  left  vacant  by  the  guard. 
Another  method  would  be  to  hav6  this  duty  assigned  to  one  particular 
forward. 

The  forward,  when  playing  on  the  defensive,  should  follow  the  general 
instructions  given  to  the  guard. 

Some  systems  require  each  forward  to  watch  his  opposing  guard  when 
the  latter  goes  up  the  floor.  Each  man  is  responsible  for  his  own  man.  The 
opposite  system  is  where  one  forward  does  all  the  guarding  and  the  best 
shooting  forward  hangs  under  the  basket.  This  makes  one  man  responsible 
for  either  of  other  two  opposing  guards. 

A  forward  will  be  called  upon  frequently  to  act  in  a  defensive  capacity 
on  center  plays  where  the  guard  runs  up  to  shoot  and  the  forward  goes 
down  the  floor  to  take  the  guard's  place.  Again,  when  the  opponents 
are  playing  a  close  man-to-man  game,  the  forward  can  disconcert  this 
style  of  play  by  playing  more  of  a  defensive  game  than  customary,  while 
allowing  the  guards  to  run  up  and  shoot  freely. 

A  good  forward  will  not  go  to  pieces  when  he  finds  that  an  opponent  is 
doing  nothing  else  except  following  him  around.  It  is  useless  to  lose  his 
temper  in  such  a  case.  Rather,  he  should  assist  the  team  in  every  way 
possible,  and  make  the  most  of  his  own  openings  when  they  do  come. 

2.    Guard 

a.  Defensive.  Weight  and  strength  count  in  the  selection  of  a  guard. 
The  ideal  guard  is  tall  and  heavy;  but  many  short  men  make  successful 
guards  because  they  possess  the  knack  of  sizing  up  the  opponent's  plays  and 
have  the  necessary  speed  to  intercept  passes. 

A  guard  should  play  inside  of  his  man,  as  in  this  way  he  covers  less 
ground  than  his  opponent,  and  also  he  is  able  to  handle  his  man  much  easier 
and  can  force  him  into  a  corner.  A  poor  guard  can  handle  a  man  in  the 
corners  while  it  takes  an  exceptionally  good  man  to  cover  his  man  in  the 
open  floor.  The  player  should  never  let  a  man  get  between  him  and 
the  basket,  as  this  necessitates  guarding  from  behind,  which  is  almost 
impossible  to  do  without  fouling. 


POSITIONS  69 


In  taking  his  position,  the  guard  should  stand  with  knees  bent  and  feet 
fairly  wide  apart,  as  this  enables  him  to  take  up  more  space  and  leaves  him 
well  braced  to  go  quickly  in  any  direction. 

There  are  precautions  to  watch  to  avoid  making  fouls.  If  the  opponent 
is  moving,  the  guard  should  keep  his  feet  moving  also,  to  prevent  being 
called  for  checking  or  holding.  Always  guard  your  opponent  from  the  side 
or  front  whenever  possible.  If  you  have  to  cover  a  man  from  behind, 
especially  a  man  on  a  dribble,  work  on  the  inside  of  the  dribbler  and  force 
him  to  the  corners  or  sidelines.  Be  on  the  alert  so  that  you  will  not 
overrun  him  if  he  stops  quickly.  In  playing  a  man  who  has  the  ball, 
keep  after  the  ball  hard  and  push  it  into  the  pit  of  his  stomach  if  you  can, 
as  this  will  prevent  him  from  making  a  pass,  or  feinting  and  getting  rid 
of  the  ball. 

If  guarding  from  the  side,  or  from  behind,  when  the  opponent  is  trying 
to  twist  away  from  him,  the  guard  will  often  find  it  useful  to  quickly 
alternate  the  use  of  his  hands  in  order  to  avoid  fouling.  The  free  arm 
should  be  held  out  from  the  body. 

When  the  guard  and  his  opponent  both  are  trying  to  intercept  the  same 
pass  and  the  guard  loses  out,  he  should  be  careful  not  to  be  lost  by  the 
opponent's  pivot.  As  soon  as  he  realizes  that  the  opponent  has  beat  him 
to  the  ball,  the  guard  should  not  lunge  after  it,  but  should  keep  between 
the  opponent  and  the  basket,  and  keep  balanced  until  the  next  move  can 
be  anticipated. 

When  a  player  is  jumping  for  the  ball  at  the  same  time  as  his  opponent, 
he  should  turn  his  hip  toward  his  opponent  on  rising  into  the  air  in  order 
to  avoid  injury  by  being  hit  "breast  on.'' 

When  a  guard  rushes  a  man  who  has  possession  of  the  ball,  it  is  poor 
tactics  to  jump  in  the  air  just  before  reaching  him,  as  this  will  give  him  a 
chance  to  side-step  and  gain  an  uninterrupted  pass  or  shot  for  goal,  or 
a  dribble. 

The  guard  should  attempt  to  close  in  on  his  man  as  soon  as  possible  so 
as  either  to  hurry  the  pass,  or  to  play  strongly  for  a  ''held  ball."  The 
guard  should  always  be  on  the  alert  to  anticipate  the  duck  or  dodge  on 
the  part  of  an  opponent  who  is  in  position  to  shoot  and  may  be  ready  to 
turn  quickly.  This  will  prevent  the  guard  from  being  deceived  by  a  feint 
to  dodge  or  pass.  In  order  to  turn  quickly  with  the  opponent's  possible 
maneuver,  the  guard  should  shorten  his  steps  at  the  last  moment,  thus 
slowing  down  slightly  just  before  reaching  the  opponent,  but  close  in  on 
him  just  the  same. 

A  guard,  unless  he  has  a  signal  to  go  up,  or  is  playing  a  man-to-man 
defense,  ought  not  to  follow  his  forward  into  the  tip-ofF,  unless  the  tip-ofF 
comes  so  far  back  that  he  has  a  chance  to  get  the  ball  himself. 

If  the  other  team  is  using  long  passes,  the  nearest  guard  should  run  in 
to  intercept  the  pass.  The  other  guard  should  run  at  once  to  a  position 
under  the  opponent's  basket.    Good  guards  should  break  up  this  style  of 


70 


BASKET     BALL 


play.    If  the  opponents  are  playing  short  passes,  the  guards  should  cover 
their  men  first  before  trying  to  take  the  ball. 

A  hard  test  of  a  guard  comes  when  he  has  two  men  to  cover,  one  man 
within  shooting  distance  and  the  other  dribbling  up  the  floor. 


\ 


©^   ^2 


5 — guard 
X — I — dribbler 
X — 2 — opponent  under  basket 


Should  he  stay  with  the  man  in  position  to  shoot,  or  cover  the  dribbler? 
There  are  two  ways  to  meet  this  situation:  first,  feint  a  rush  at  the 
dribbler,  so  as  to  make  him  pass  or  shoot,  then  dash  back  to  cover  the 
man  under  the  basket.  If  your  rush  has  caused  the  dribbler  to  pass, 
then  there  is  a  bare  chance  that  you  can  tip  the  ball  to  the  floor,  or  the 
more  likely  possibility  that  you  will  be  upon  the  man  under  the  basket 
almost  with  the  instant  he  catches  the  ball,  so  that  unless  he  takes  a 
hurried  shot  a  held  ball  will  be  obtained.  It  is  a  hard  play  to  break 
up,  and  much  depends  on  the  guard's  natural  instinct.  The  second  way, 
when  you  find  yourself  in  this  position,  is  to  yell, "  Shift "  or  "  Til  take  him." 
This  will  let  your  fellow-guard  understand  that  you  are  going  to  play  the 
dribbler  so  that  he  will  cover  the  man  in  position  to  shoot.  Delay  your 
rush  for  the  dribbler  as  long  as  possible,  so  as  to  give  your  teammates,  who 
are  supposed  to  be  rushing  down  the  floor,  time  to  cover  the  men  nearest 
the  basket. 

If  you  are  not  sure  of  catching  a  ball  thrown  by  the  opponents,  and 
which  is  evidently  going  out  of  bounds,  it  is  better  to  let  it  go  than  to 
merely  touch  it,  which  would  give  the  ball  to  the  opponents  out  of  bounds 
under  your  own  basket.  If  the  opponents  are  using  the  blocking  system, 
be  quick  to  discover  which  forward  they  are  attempting  to  free,  as  he  is 
likely  their  star  man,  and  they  are  attempting  to  block  this  man's  guard. 

When  running  to  defensive  position  to  cover  a  man,  and  with  the  back 
to  the  ball,  some  guards  turn  just  before  reaching  him  so  they  can  size  up 
the  play  and  possibly  intercept  the  ball;  others  keep  right  on  to  the  man 
they  are  to  guard,  throwing  up  the  hands  to  block  the  ball  in  case  it  is 
being  thrown  over  their  head. 

A  heady  guard  will  size  up  whether  his  opponent  has  any  individual 
peculiarities;  does  he  habitually  pass  low  or  high,  does  he  pass  and  shoot 
left-handed,  etc.  .f* 

A  good  sign  of  an  aggressive  guard  is  the  frequency  with  which  he  inter- 


POSITIONS  71 


cepts  passes  made  by  the  opponents;  another  is  the  frequency  with_which 
he  recovers  balls  from  the  opponent's  bank,  after  they  have  attempted 
a  shot. 

b.  Offensive.  When  their  own  team  has  possession  of  the  ball,  a  good 
style  for  the  guards  to  play  is  for  one  guard  to  go  to  the  center  of  the  floor, 
or  occasionally  beyond  this  point  (this  man  is  called  the  running  guard) 
and  for  the  other  guard  to  play  what  is  called  or  known  as  the  standing 
or  stationary  guard.  The  latter  should  always  move  up  the  floor  as  far 
as  he  can  safely  do  so,  as  he  may  often  be  used  in  the  pass  work.  If  the 
opponents  are  using  long  passes,  he  should  not  stand  out  farther  than  the 
region  of  the  foul  line.  Against  the  long-pass  game,  the  running  guard, 
too,  should  play  a  safer  game,  and  should  always  be  back  in  defensive 
territory  when  the  opponents  obtain  the  ball. 

Some  teams  allow  the  running  or  scoring  guard  to  follow  up  when  he 
shoots;  other  teams  have  him  immediately  break  back  to  a  defensive  posi- 
tion without  waiting  to  see  whether  his  shot  has  gone  in  the  basket  or  not. 

A  back  guard  is  of  great  value  to  his  team.  He  can  direct  the  defensive 
play.  He  should  be  able  to  pivot.  Some  good  guards  stand  and  let  the 
ball  come  to  them  from  the  backboard,  and  then  step  toward  the  outside  of 
the  court  and  pivot  away  from  opponents.  Other  back  guards  go  up  in  the 
air  and  take  the  ball  off  the  backboard,  only  giving  the  opponents  one  shot. 
The  latter  style  is  to  be  favored,  unless  the  particular  guard  happens  to  be 
unusually  strong  and  powerful. 

After  the  opponents  have  missed  the  basket  it  is  poor  tactics  for  the 
guard  to  bat  the  ball  blindly  away  from  the  backboard,  as  quite  often  it  will 
likely  go  into  the  hands  of  the  opponents,  who  are  facing  the  basket,  and 
give  an  easy  shot.  It  is  better  to  catch  the  ball  on  the  rebound  from  the 
bank;  at  least  work  hard  for  a  held  ball,  if  there  is  no  chance  to  pass.  A 
held  ball  gives  you  an  even  chance  with  the  opponents. 

Many  guards  are  prone  to  dribble  immediately  after  recovering  the 
ball  from  the  opponents'  backboard.  A  quick  pass  in  this  situation  is  much 
better,  as  it  gets  the  ball  out  of  danger  quickly  and  within  scoring  distance 
before  the  opponents  can  set  themselves  for  their  defensive.  Under  the 
present  tendency  for  the  opposing  players  to  turn  and  run  back  to  a  massed 
defense,  there  is  a  sound  argument  for  a  fast  guard  to  start  out  with  a 
dribble. 

There  is  often  difficulty  in  getting  rid  of  the  ball,  as  the  guard  who 
takes  it  off"  the  bank  will  be  croA^ded  by  the  opponents  if  they  are 
following  up  their  shots.  This  situation  can  be  eased  up  considerably  if  the 
team  has  a  prearranged  pass  in  mind.  Then  he  can  get  rid  of  the  ball 
quickly,  as  he  can  instinctively  make  the  pass  instead  of  having  to  look 
about  and  size  up  the  whole  situation  before  knowing  which  teammate  is 
free,  as  even  a  momentary  delay  at  this  time  will  result  in  a  "held  ball." 

Tip-off"  plays  to  the  guard  are  most  useful  to  mix  with  the  forward 
tip-off's,  so  as  to  keep  the  opponents  guessing.   Especially  is  this  good  when 


72  BASKET     BALL 


your  center  is  controlling  the  ball,  and  your  opponents  form  a  defense  for 
the  tip-ofF,  with  their  men  massed  in  your  half  of  the  floor. 

3.    Center 

a.  Ge7ieral  Play.  The  center  is  very  often  the  best  all-round  man  on  the 
team.  He  should  be  very  aggressive;  his  work  is  an  inspiration  to  the  rest 
of  the  team;  he  is  in  the  thick  of  the  battle  from  start  to  finish  unless 
he  takes  the  position  of  a  standing  forward  or  guard.  Even  then  he  must 
do  considerable  rebound  work.  Do  not  pick  a  center  for  height  alone, 
however.  If  a  man  is  useful  in  controlling  the  tip-oflF  only,  it  is  better  to 
select  an  all-round  man  who  can  figure  in  the  teamwork  and  general  play, 
even  though  he  does  not  get  the  jump  as  often.  If  he  finds  that  he  is  un- 
able to  get  the  jump,  then  have  a  good  defense  against  center  plays. 

When  the  center  is  on  the  oflPensive,  the  directions  given  for  the  forward 
will  cover  his  work.  When  on  the  defense,  the  guard's  directions  will 
apply  in  playing  this  position. 

b.  Hints  on  Getting  the  Jump.  Timing  the  jump  with  the  toss  of  the  ball 
is  essential.  It  is  important  to  watch  the  ball,  so  as  to  jump  neither  too 
soon  nor  too  late.  Officials  vary  in  the  height  to  which  they  toss  the  ball 
and  the  center  should  note  this. 

A  slow  jumper  has  the  advantage  when  the  toss  is  high;  on  the  other 
hand,  if  the  referee  is  tossing  the  ball  just  out  of  reach,  he  will  have  to 
speed  up  his  ordinary  jump. 

A  center  can  add  two  or  more  inches  to  the  height  of  his  jump  by 
jumping  with  the  fingers  and  wrist  held  stiffs  and  rigid,  letting  the  ball 
deflect  from  the  tips  of  his  fingers  rather  than  trying  to  bat  it  forcibly  in 
any  direction.  This  adds  to  the  height  of  the  center's  jump  the  distance 
between  the  center  of  the  ball  and  the  bottom  of  the  ball  (the  ball  must  be 
hit  near  the  center  when  batted  forcibly).  It  is  a  good  play  to  jump  and 
place  your  hand  between  your  opponent's  hand  and  the  ball.  This  will 
enable  you  to  start  many  of  your  guard  plays  when  your  opponent  has  a 
jump  equal  to  your  own.  The  center  must  play  the  ball,  and  not  the 
opponent's  hand,  however. 

The  center  should  complain  to  the  referee  when  his  opponent  is  jumping 
the  ball  before  it  reaches  its  highest  point.   A  foul  may  be  called  for  this. 

On  tip-oflF  plays  it  is  better  for  the  center  to  dash  in  the  opposite 
direction  from  the  tip-off",  in  order  to  prevent  running  into  one  of  his 
teammates.  It  also  frees  the  center,  as  the  opposing  center  is  very  apt  to 
follow  the  ball.  Some  centers,  when  tipping  the  ball  directly  behind  them, 
turn  in  the  air  on  the  tip-off"  and  land  so  as  to  check  their  opponent.  After 
the  tip-off",  some  centers  take  one  step  backward,  so  as  to  keep  their 
opponents  from  blocking  them.  This  also  enables  them  to  get  their 
balance  after  the  jump,  and  gives  them  a  clear  view  of  the  floor. 

The  center  should  jump  from  his  toes  in  order  to  get  his  best  height. 
The  advantage  to  be  derived  from  freak  positions,  as  standing  in  a  twisted 


POSITIONS  73 


posture,  is  doubtful.  It  is  helpful  for  the  center  to  stand  with  one  foot 
slightly  in  advance  of  the  other  in  getting  a  good  spring,  but  the^  feet 
should  be  fairly  close  together  to  get  the  best  possible  height.  Changing 
hands  will  often  disconcert  the  opponent  as  well  as  to  give  a  rest. 

The  rule  about  keeping  the  hand  in  contact  with  the  back  should  be 
enforced  on  two  grounds;  first,  it  absolutely  prevents  pushing;  and  second, 
it  makes  a  fair  test  between  the  two  jumpers,  for  taking  the  hand  away 
does  add  an  advantage  in  one's  jumping  height. 

On  most  plays  the  ball  should  be  tapped  far  enough  so  that  a  player 
coming  in  to  receive  it  can  get  it  in  the  air  before  it  touches  the  floor. 
The  ball  can  be  handled  cleaner  when  caught  high  in  the  air. 

A  center  should  not  be  scrimmaged  as  much  as  the  other  players,  on  the 
same  principle  as  the  training  of  the  high  jumper.  Jumping  takes  a  lot  out 
of  a  man.  He  should  not  continually  keep  trying  to  jump  his  greatest 
height. 


CHAPTER  X 

The  Defense 
I.   When  Opponents  Obtain  Ball  during  Play 

a,  Man-to-Man.  There  are  several  styles  of  defense.  The  simplest  is 
the  man-to-man  style.  In  this  each  man  is  individually  responsible  for 
his  respective  opponent,  i.e.,  the  center  for  the  opposing  center,  etc.  As 
soon  as  the  opponents  get  the  ball,  each  player  looks  around  for  his  own 
man,  and  follows  him  all  over  the  floor.  The  professional  team  favors  the 
man-to-man  defense;  also  uncoached  teams  which  have  not  had  a  chance  to 
work  up  a  distinctive  type  of  play.  It  works  especially  well  when  the  teams 
are  well  acquainted  with  each  other's  players.  The  important  coaching 
maxim  is:  "Keep  between  your  opponent  and  his  basket  when  the  other 
side  has  possession  of  the  ball;  do  not  let  your  opponent  get  in  behind  you." 
One  good  thing  about  the  man-to-man  style  is  that  the  coach  can  lay  the 
blame  for  the  opponent's  baskets  to  the  proper  source.  This,  however,  can 
be  overdone;  for  instance,  player  A  may  be  running  up  the  floor  on  oflFense 
and  a  bad  pass  may  result  in  the  ball  being  intercepted  behind  him  and 
thrown  to  his  particular  opponent,  who  is  in  good  shooting  position,  and  is 
thereby  given  an  easy  chance  to  score.  Player  A  cannot  get  back  to  prevent 
the  shot,  and  the  rest  of  his  teammates  are  busy  covering  their  own  men. 
Player  A  gets  the  blame  for  the  score.  Such  instances  cause  hard  feeling 
among  teammates,  as  player  A  will  lay  the  blame  to  the  bad  pass,  also 
criticise  some  other  player  who  was  back  in  guarding  territory  for  not 
trying  to  block  the  shot.  The  point  of  the  whole  thing  is  that  if  this  type 
of  game  is  adhered  to  closely,  men  will  fail  to  help  out  a  teammate 
who  is  in  trouble;  and  as  a  result,  the  opponents  are  often  given  easy 
baskets.  Other  weaknesses  of  the  man-to-man  game  develop  when  up 
against  a  blocking  style  of  play  or  a  team  which  shifts  its  guards  and 
forwards  a  lot.  The  blocking  play  works  because,  after  an  opponent  is 
freed  from  his  own  particular  guard,  no  other  teammate  can  help 
out  as  all  are  busy  with  their  own  men.  The  team  which  shifts  its  guards 
and  forwards  cannot  be  successful  if  each  team  knows  the  opposing 
players  well;  however,  it  can  be  very  successful  when  playing  against 
a  strange  organization,  and  it  might  disguise  its  play  very  effectively 
for  some  time  by  placing  the  forwards  down  as  guards  in  the  lineup  and 
vice  versa.  This  weakness  of  the  man-to-man  defense  occurs  in  the  case 
where  a  team  sends  several  substitutes  into  the  game,  because  men  who 
have  become  accustomed  to  guarding  a  particular  player  will  be  tempo- 
rarily confused. 

The  man-to-man  defense  is  sometimes  temporarily  altered  by  having 
one  forward  take  the  responsibility  of  guarding  either  of  the  opposing 
guards  in  order  that  the  second  forward  may  stay  up  in  shooting  territory 
all  the  while. 

74 


THE    DEFENSE  75 


On  the  whole,  this  type  of  game  causes  men  to  stress  the  holding^of 
their  own  particular  opponent  down.  If,  in  their  zeal  to  do  this,  they 
play  safe  and  do  not  leave  their  opponent,  the  game  develops  bodily  con- 
tact. Two  players  will  pair  off  into  a  duel  of  their  own,  and  the  outcome  of 
this  becomes  to  them  more  important  than  team  success.  The  emphasis 
is  wrongly  laid.  Other  causes  for  rough  play  in  the  man-to-man  game  come 
from  the  frequent  necessity  of  chasing  one's  opponent  from  behind,  also  in 
the  blocking  that  results  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  when  defensive  men 
cross  from  one  side  to  the  other  to  get  their  own  particular  opponents. 

b.  Nearest  Man.  A  successful  variation  of  the  man-to-man  defense  is 
made  by  letting  each  player  guard  the  nearest  opponent.  This  obviates 
several  of  the  weaknesses  of  the  man-to-man  game,  but  a  new  weakness 
arises  in  the  hesitancy  that  is  apt  to  result  in  choosing  a  man,  or  in  the 
confusion  that  results  when  two  players  run  to  guard  the  same  opponent. 
To  offset  this  confusion  it  is  very  necessary  that  a  player  signal  at  once 
whom  he  is  going  to  cover,  for  instance  pointing  out  the  respective  man  and 
calling:  "I've  got  this  man."  To  successfully  play  this  system  each  man 
must  be  coached  to  stick  with  the  man  he  chooses,  and  not  to  change  from 
one  opponent  to  another.  The  defects  pointed  out  are  that  a  man  who  is 
very  poor  at  guarding  may  pick  the  opponents'  star  player,  or  a  small 
player  may  be  pitted  against  a  large  one,  which  would  be  a  handicap  in 
work  under  the  opponents'  basket. 

A  team  using  the  "nearest  man"  defense  should  modify  it  when  up 
against  a  team  that  has  one  star  player.  This  one  player  should  be  played 
man-to-man,  with  a  good  guarding  player  against  him.  It  is  even  a  good 
thing  in  such  a  case  to  have  two  good  men  in  readiness  to  grab  him;  if  one 
gets  to  him  first,  the  second  defensive  player  can  then  look  for  the  nearest 
free  player.  This  style  of  defense  is  a  handicap  to  a  team  in  developing  a 
definite  style  of  offense,  for  the  players  do  not  keep  the  same  relative  posi- 
tions on  the  floor;  at  one  time  forward  A  will  be  guarding  a  guard,  at 
another  the  center,  or  possibly  an  opposing  forward,  and  in  each  case  A 
will  be  left  in  a  different  place  on  the  floor  when  his  own  team  recovers  the 
ball.  This  fact  handicaps  the  working  out  of  a  successful  scoring  machine, 
as  the  players  do  not  know  how  they  are  going  to  be  scattered  when  able 
to  turn  to  the  offense. 

c.  The  Massed  Defense.  The  massed  defense  has  come  to  be  the  most 
popular  style  of  defensive  play;  generally  all  five  men  are  used,  although 
there  are  many  teams  playing  it  with  four  men.  The  players  (as  soon  as 
the  opponents  get  the  ball)  run  to  the  defensive  half  of  the  floor,  where 
they  turn  and  present  a  massed  defense  to  the  opponents  as  they  come  down 
the  floor.  Each  player  under  this  system  pays  no  attention  to  opponents 
in  front  of  the  defense  where  they  are  not  dangerous.  This  eliminates 
much  running  on  the  part  of  the  defensive  men.  This  method  of  defense 
is  very  strong  as  it  is  hard  to  break  into,  and  forces  the  opponents,  unless 
their  teamwork  is  very  clever,  into  taking  long  shots. 


76  BASKET    BALL 


Many  of  the  leading  basket  ball  coaches  of  the  country  are  of  the 
opinion  that  the  five-men  defense  offers  more  advantages  than  any  other 
system  in  basket  ball,  and  therefore  it  is  now  being  used  to  a  greater 
extent  than  ever  before  in  all  sections  of  the  country.  Fundamentally  it 
is  sound,  because  five  men  forming  a  solid  or  united  defense  in  front  of  their 
goals  will  accomplish  more  than  five  men  scattered  over  the  floor. 

The  five-men  defense,  to  be  used  to  advantage  both  as  a  defensive  and 
offensive  style  of  play,  must  have  a  quick  break.  Unless  the  team  using  this 
style  of  play  can  break  quickly  on  the  defense  and  offense  it  will  be  of  no 
value  to  them,  because  when  the  opponents  go  on  the  offensive,  the  defense 
will  be  behind  the  offense  and  the  game  will  merely  consist  of  one  team 
chasing  the  other  down  the  floor.  On  the  other  hand,  the  team  that  is  slow 
in  swinging  into  an  oflFensive  play  will  have  a  great  deal  of  diflficulty  in 
working  through  the  defense  which  is  already  set.  The  importance  of  a 
quick  break  cannot  be  emphasized  too  much. 

When  a  team  sweeps  back  on  the  defense,  they  usually  assume  this 

XXX 

position:        ^    ^ 

It  is  usually  customary  to  set  the  first  three  men  between  the  center 
circle  and  the  end  of  the  foul  circle  and  the  two  back  men  about  twelve  feet 
out  from  the  basket.  Other  teams  assume  this  formation:  X  X  X  X  X, 
stretching  five  men  in  a  straight  line  across  the  floor  at  about  the  center. 
Each  man  under  this  system  usually  has  a  certain  man  to  cover.  This 
lineup  is  apt  to  cause  guarding  from  the  rear,  as  is  the  case  with  four  men 
abreast  and  one  guard  back.    A  better  combination  is  the  cup  lineup  as 

X  X 

follows:      X    X    .    Another  lineup  which  is  most  eflPective  when  a  team 

X 
is  massing  its  defense   but  playing   a  man-to-man   game   afterwards   is 

XXX 
X 
X. 
This  formation  does  away  with  the  two  guards  bumping  into  each  other, 
a  thing  which  is  apt  to  happen  in  the  previous  lineups  when  their  men 
happen  to  be  on  opposite  sides  of  the  court  and  they  have  to  cross- over 
to  get  them. 

When  a  team  lines  up  with  three  men  in  front  and  two  men  behind, 
there  are  a  number  of  systems  used.  Sometimes  each  man  takes  his  own 
opponent,  man-to-man  style.  Sometimes  the  nearest  man  is  picked.  Again, 
tlie  first  two  men  down  the  floor  on  the  offensive  may  be  allowed  to  sift 
through  the  defense  and  then  the  two  back  men  keep  them  covered.  The 
men  in  the  front  row  will  know  that  two  opponents  have  sifted  through  if 
there  are  three  opponents  in  front  of  them.  The  last  statement  may  sound 
somewhat  peculiar,  as  it  seems  that  any  player  with  ordinary  intelligence 
would  be  able  to  figure  out  how  many  men  had  sifted  through  by  looking 


I 


THE    DEFENSE  77 


ahead  of  him,  but  there  are  any  number  of  players  who  do  not  understand 
when  to  cover  the  men  in  front  of  them.  Consequently,  it  seems  tTiat  the 
above  explanation  is  necessary.  Some  teams,  after  allowing  two  men  to 
sift  through,  will  let  the  front  row  lead  up  the  floor  to  meet  the  remaining 
opponents.  Still  another  way  to  vary  the  idea  of  allowing  opponents  to 
sift  through  is  to  let  the  first  man  sift  through  for  the  guards,  but  the  front 
man  in  defense  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  floor  from  the  ball  will  drop 
back  and  take  the  first  man  through  on  his  side.    This  is  very  effective. 

Some  coaches  vary  the  style  with  three  men  in  front  and  two  men 
behind  in  the  following  manner.  Then  each  man  except  one  is  given  a  certain 
opponent  to  cover.  Now,  inasmuch  as  practically  all  teams  use  the  four- 
men  offensive,  the  defense  has  an  extra  man  either  to  help  a  teammate 
cover  an  exceptionally  good  opponent  or  to  act  as  a  rover  and  take  the  ball 
off  the  backboard.  By  this  method  of  play  the  offensive  team  should  be 
held  to  a  low  number  of  shots  and  should  not  be  allowed  many  follow-up 
shots.  The  roving  man  should  be  able  to  get  high  in  the  air  and  be  able 
to  time  the  ball  perfectly  in  getting  it  off  the  backboard.  The  two  men 
playing  back  under  this  style,  after  once  starting  to  cover  a  man,  should  not 
leave  him  until  they  have  intercepted  the  ball  or  their  team  has  recovered 
possession  of  it.  There  is  an  exception  when  a  man  whom  they  are  cover- 
ing goes  out  beyond  the  massed  defense  into  the  opposite  half  of  the  floor. 
Then  the  rear  men  can  swing  to  their  old  positions  on  defense.  These 
two  men  playing  back  should  not  be  so  intent  on  watching  the  ball  that 
they  do  not  know  where  the  offensive  men  are.  Many  players  will  watch 
the  ball  so  intently  that  an  offensive  player  will  slide  in  behind  them,  re- 
ceive a  pass,  and  obtain  an  open  shot  for  the  basket. 

When  a  team  is  behind,  the  five-men  defense  is  a  poor  style  of  play  to 
use  if  the  leading  team  does  not  try  to  break  through.  This  is  good  judg- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  leading  team,  as  the  losing  team  cannot  score 
when  the  opponents  have  possession  of  the  ball.  Consequently  the 
ball  can  be  passed  back  and  forth  under  the  losing  team's  basket 
until  they  come  out  to  break  up  their  opponent's  passing.  Then  it 
is  easy,  or  not  so  difficult,  for  the  leading  team  to  work  the  ball  down 
the  floor  because  the  defense  is  broken  up.  A  team  that  uses  the 
five-men  defense  must,  therefore,  be  able  to  play  a  man-to-man  game 
when  they  are  behind.  It  is  difficult  to  get  a  team  to  realize  that  fact 
and  change  their  style  of  play,  but  it  is  an  absolute  essential.  This  neces- 
sity of  changing  the  defense  when  behind  is  one  objection  made  to  the  five- 
men  massed  defense.  The  biggest  objection  to  the  five-men  massed  de- 
fense, however,  is  that  it  cannot  be  shifted  to  a  quick  oflPensive  because  there 
is  no  player  within  scoring  distance.  It  allows  the  opponents  to  guard 
against  short  passes  only.  There  are  coaches  who  base  their  criticism  of  this 
defense  on  the  fact  that  it  allows  the  teamplay  of  the  opponents  to  get  under 
way,  instead  of  smothering  it  at  once.  On  the  whole,  though,  the  number 
of  teams  using  the  five-men  massed  defense  is  a  tribute  to  its  strength. 


78  BASKET    BALL 


d.  Four-men  Massed  Defense.  Some  coaches  prefer  the  four-men  massed 
defense,  wherein  only  four  players  run  to  the  opponents'  half  of  the  floor 
on  losing  the  ball,  and  face  about.  They  figure  that  the  loss  of  the  fifth 
man  on  defense  will  be  offset,  for  the  opponents  will  have  to  leave  a  guard 
back  all  the  while  to  watch  this  player,  thus  preserving  the  ratio  4  to  4 
which  is  the  same  as  5  to  5.  The  player  who  is  the  best  shot  and  follow-up 
man  is  left  up  under  the  basket.  He  should  also  be  able  to  pivot  well.  The 
strong  feature  of  the  four-men  defense  is  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be 
shifted  to  a  strong  offensive,  as  it  has  the  possibilities  of  both  a  long-pass 
and  a  short-pass  style  of  play.  This  defense  can  be  recommended  for  teams 
of  versatile  men  with  strong  scoring  power,  as  it  opens  the  game  up,  and  a 
free  shooting  game  is  an  advantage  to  a  fast  team  of  good  shots. 

In  this  defense,  there  are  also  variations  in  the  way  the  men  may  be 
lined  up  on  the  floor,  such  as  X    X,  or  as  X    X    X,  as     X,    or  as  X    X. 

XX  X  XX  X 

X  X 

Likewise,  there  are  different  plans  of  playing  the  opponents.  The 
man-to-man  style  is  used,  but  more  often  the  nearest-man  idea  is  adopted. 
In  the  nearest-man  game,  the  standing  guard  plays  as  a  rover  until  the 
other  three  of  his  guarding  teammates  have  picked  a  man  to  stick  to;  then 
he  leads  out  on  the  floor  to  take  the  loose  man.  This  style  of  defense  is 
weak  against  a  good  running  guard  who  hesitates  until  the  three  men  are 
picked  up,  then  comes  in  for  a  shot  before  the  standing  guard  can  lead  out 
to  get  him.  In  this  case  the  defense  should  be  modified,  so  that  a  defensive 
man  in  the  first  rank  takes  the  opposing  running  guard.  A  third  way  of 
playing  the  four-men  defense  is  to  allow  one  or  two  men  to  sift  through  for 
the  rear  men  to  take  and  follow  around,  the  front  rank  remaining  stationary 
until  this  is  done,  then  leading  out  to  take  up  the  other  opponents. 

On  the  four-men  defense  style  of  play,  the  standing  forward  should 
come  down  to  defense  in  the  following  cases:  i.  When  the  opponents  are 
shooting  a  foul;  2.  When  there  is  a  held  ball  in  the  opponents'  territory; 
and  3.  When  the  opponents  have  the  ball  out  of  bounds  under  their 
basket.  In  the  last  case,  the  standing  forward  should  run  down  to  pick  up 
any  loose  man,  especially  one  who  becomes  freed  by  a  blocking  play. 

The  standing  forward  is  also  helpful  in  defensive  work  by  playing  the 
ball  in  his  own  half  of  the  floor,  breaking  up  dribble  plays  or  back  passes 
to  trailer  men.  The  man  who  plays  in  this  way  can  intercept  many  passes 
if  he  has  the  instinct  to  foretell  plays — a  knack  but  few  players  possess. 

e.  The  Position  or  Space-Defense.  Here  each  player  covers  and  protects 
certain  spots  or  sections  of  the  playing  floor,  and  is  made  responsible  for 
preventing  shots  from  this  territory.  It  has  the  advantage  that  it  cuts 
down  the  amount  of  running  that  has  to  be  done  and  is  good  for  a  quick 
change  to  offense  when  the  ball  is  recovered,  as  everyone  knows  just  where 
his  teammates  are.  It  is  also  effective  against  a  clever  dribbler  and  floor- 
man,  because  if  he  does  lose  one  man  attempting  to  guard  him  he  will 


THE    DEFENSE 


79 


be  picked  up  by  another  defensive  man.  It  breaks  up  the  criss-cross 
blocking  play.  It  also  makes  for  a  clean  game,  as  the  ball  is  played  rather 
than  the  man — the  guarding  player  does  not  stick  to  any  one  opponent. 
Its  weakness  is  that  players  are  apt  to  be  confused  as  to  which  opponent 
to  cover,  especially  if  two  opponents  should  come  into  the  same  territory. 
For  this  reason  it  often  fails  to  break  up  the  type  of  blocking  in  which 
the  pivot  and  pass  to  the  trailer  is  used.  This  is  played  5  men  or  4  men 
with  the  lineups  varying  the  same  as  under  the  other  massed  defenses. 
The  5-men  position-defense  is  used  by  nearly  all  the  teams  that  use  the 
push-pass  style  of  offense  with  3  men  abreast. 

f.    Shifting-space  Defense.    X  i  and  X  2  are  forwards,  X  3  is  center. 

The  shifting-space  system,  sometimes  called  the  "Lane"  defense,  can 
be  played  by  four  or  five  men,  but  unless  the  team  is  a  strong  scoring 
one  the  five-men  is  the  better.  The  defense  shifts  to  the  side  the  ball  is 
coming  down;  that  side  is  called  the  strong  side;  the  side  opposite  the  ball, 
the  weak  side.  On  a  small  floor  the  defense  should  mass  ahead  of  the  center 
so  as  to  prevent  long  shots. 

The  forward  on  the  strong  side  tries  to  break  up  the  play,  the  forward 
on  the  weak  side  drops  back  to  the  corner. 

The  forwards  play  in  toward  center,  so  as  to  force  the  opponents  to 
go  down  the  floor  on  the  outside.  Then  when  a  pass  is  made  to  the  op- 
ponent, one  of  the  guards  is  charging  him  hard,  and  should  be  on  him  as 
soon  as  he  gets  the  ball. 

The  defensive  men  do  not  follow  their  opponents  all  over;  they  stand 
still — maybe  move  in  the  direction  the  pass  is  likely  to  take — and  then 
when  the  pass  is  made,  the  proper  defensive  man  covers.  The  forward  on 
the  strong  side  works  back  as  the  play  goes  closer  to  the  basket. 

Example:  

If  ball  is  in  space  A,  forward  X  2  drops  \    I  / 

back  a  trifle;  if  in  space  B,  he  drops  back  to 
the  corner  and  X  3  drops  back  to  protect 
middle  space — about  five  feet  ahead  of  foul 
X  3  can  be  used  to  play  the  ball  down 


B 


ime. 

to  the  middle  of  floor.  This  will  aid  in  inter- 
cepting passes,  also  in  breaking  up  dribble 
plays  of  the  opposing  running  guard,  as  X  3 
can  drive  the  dribbler  into  one  of  the  for- 
wards where  he  will  be  pocketed. 

The  nearest  of  the  guards  charges  the  first 
pass  made  into  the  strong  side.  This  will 
most  likely  be  the  running  guard,  in  case  of 
a  short   pass,  and   will   most  likely  be  the 

standing  guard  when  a  pass  is  made  to  an  opponent  in  one  of  the  corners. 
Irt  this  case  the  running  guard  fills  under  the  basket.  Usually  both  guards 
lead  over  to  the  strong  side  and  the  forward  on  the  weak  side  moves  closer 


80  BASKETBALL 


to  the  center.  The  center  and  forward  on  the  strong  side  protect  against 
the  long  shots  and  break  up  back  passes  to  trailer  men.  After  the  op- 
ponents have  shot,  the  players  should  block  the  opponents  from  the 
rebound,  so  that  the  standing  guard  can  recover. 

When  the  play  comes  down  the  middle,  both  forwards  drop  back  a 
little  until  they  see  which  side  the  ball  is  passed  to,  then  the  forward  on 
that  side  advances  to  meet  the  play. 

If  the  defense  has  not  had  time  to  mass,  the  forward  on  the  side  op- 
posite the  ball  and  the  center  are  the  ones  who  must  hurry — the  first 
named  especially. 

The  center  plays  in  the  front  rank  as  long  as  the  ball  is  ahead  of  him. 
(He  may  have  to  drop  back — and  then  advance  to  the  front  rank  again 
if  the  opponents  start  to  break  through  and  then  back-pass.) 

Nearly  always  the  forward  on  the  strong  side  will  be  playing  the  second 
man  through  (usually  a  guard)  while  the  forward  on  the  weak  side  will  be 
taking  the  first  man  breaking  into  his  space.  It  works  out  so  that  the 
two  guards  and  the  forward  on  the  weak  side  are  covering  the  first  three 
men  down. 

The  shifting-space  defense  is  very  good.  It  forces  plays  to  one  side  or 
the  other  of  the  court,  and  allows  the  guards  to  play  a  charging  game, 
knowing  that  when  they  rush  a  pass  there  will  be  someone  to  fill  in  behind 
them.  It  permits  of  flexibility  in  order  to  meet  certain  conditions.  Some 
of  the  variations  follow. 

a.  The  same  shift  as  shown  previously  can  be  used  except  that  the 
men  stick  to  a  man  instead  of  playing  the  ball  when  it  comes  into  their 
territory.  In  this  case  X  i  would  let  one  man  sift  through  and  then  take 
the  second  man  down.  X  2  would  drop  back  and  take  the  first  man 
through  on  his  side. 

b.  The  lineup  shown  previously  is  very  effective  when  the  opponents 
use  a  style  of  teamplay  that  carries  the  ball  on  short  passes,  pivots  and 
bounces  down  through  the  middle  of  the  court.  This  protects  the  middle, 
and  the  bunched  defense  forces  the  opponents  either  to  go  down  one  side 
of  the  floor  or  to  use  longer  passes. 

However,  there  may  be  offensive  teams  who  play  the  edges  and  corners 
a  lot.    Then  the  defense  can  be  lined  up  as  follows:  XXX;  but  the  men 

X    X 
shift  in  the  same  manner  as  shown  by  the  arrows  of  the  diagram  (supposing 
the  ball  has  gone  down  the  left  side  of  the  court). 

c.  The  defense  can  be  altered  to  break  up  the  offense  of  a  team  that 
depends  on  one  star  player.   The  massed  defense  then  can  be  lined  up  with 

X    X     X    X 
four  men,  either      X     or  X    X.    The  fifth  defensive  man  plays  the  oppos- 

X 
ing  star,  man-to-man.    This  covers  the  star  player  tightly;  e^en  if  his 
cleverness  frees  him  from  the  one  man  who  is  sticking  with  him,  he  will  be 


I 


THE    DEFENSE  81 

covered  by  one  of  the  other  men  according  into  which  territory  the^ball 
is  thrown.  If  the  star  player  of  the  opponents  is  a  forward,  the  running 
guard  is  the  best  man  to  stick  to  him  (although  he  should  play  the  posi- 
tion game  until  the  other  four  men  are  back);  if  the  star  opponent  is  a 
guard,  the  center  X  3  is  the  best  man  to  put  on  him. 

d.  The  defense  can  be  played  four  men  only.  In  this  case,  X3,  the 
center,  would  play  as  standing  forward.  He  can  help  play  the  ball  on 
defense  until  a  long  shot  is  made,  or  the  ball  is  passed  through  the  front 
defensive  row.  Then  he  should  depend  on  the  other  four  men  to  break  up 
the  closer  shots,  and  should  start  at  once  to  the  standing  forward  position. 
In  this  way  he  helps  to  break  up  dribble  plays  and  long  shots,  but  still  is 
under  the  basket  when  his  team  recovers  the  ball.  On  the  four-men 
defense,  the  forwards  may  find  it  better  to  line  up  back  from  the  center 
farther  than  usual.  This  will  arrange  it  so  that  the  running  guard  seldom 
has  to  be  drawn  out  of  position.  If  the  running  guard  is  drawn  to  the 
strong  side,  then  the  forward  on  that  side  shouldlfe^p/fill  in  the  center  spa'ce. 


2.    Center  Defense  when  not  Securing  the  Tip-off 

When  a  team's  center  is  being  out-jumped  continually,  it  is  better  to 
give  up  attempting  to  work  plays  from  center,  and  use  a  defense  to  keep 
the  opponents  from  getting  the  ball  and  working  their  plays.  The  main 
idea  is  to  get  possession  of  the  ball.  At  the  present  day,  teams  have  found 
it  possible  to  perfect  the  center  defense  to  the  point  where  they  are  able  to 
play  a  combination  defensive-offensive.  They  are  able  to  do  this  by  playing 
their  defense  to  get  possession  of  the  ball  even  though  the  opposing  center 
out-jumps  their  own,  and  then  the  teammates  who  do  not  secure  the  ball 
break  to  prearranged  positions  on  the  floor  and  thus  work  a  play.  However, 
the  main  idea,  first  of  all,  should  be  to  concentrate  all  efforts  on  getting 
possession  of  the  ball. 

A  team  that  cannot  break  up  the  opponents'  center  plays  is  bound  to 
have  its  morale  badly  damaged.  The  following  center  defense  systems  give 
ideas  of  plans  that  are  used  by  different  teams. 

I.  Every  man  stick  to  his  own  man  on  the  tip-off,  the  so-called  man-to- 
man style.  See  Diagram  i.  The  type  of  defense  is  weak,  and  allows  open- 
ings for  many  of  the  center  plays  that  are  shown  in  the  chapter  on  offense. 
Many  variations  of  the  man-to-man  are  found.  One  of  them  drops  the 
center  back  quickly  under  the  defensive  basket  to  pick  up  an  opponent 
who  may  have  been  freed  for  a  short  shot.  In  this  case  the  other  men  stick 
to  their  opponents,  excepting  that  one  forward  may,  if  desired,  come  down 
to  the  middle  of  the  floor  and  play  the  ball. 

Another  common  variation  of  the  man-to-man  center  defense  is  that 
shown  in  Diagram  2.  Here  the  best  defensive  forward  is  used  to  break  up 
plays  where  one  of  the  opponents'  guards  comes  up  to  get  the  tip-off.  The 
other  forward  stays  under  the  basket.  The  guards  and  center  each  stick 
to  their  own  man. 


82 


BASKET    BALL 


CENTER   DEFENSES 


@ 


© 


Diagram  3. 


® 

X 


A 

x/ -^ X 

@  -^ ' — ® 


Diagram  2. 


^®^ 


® 


® 


Diagram  5. 


Diagram  6. 


THEDEFENSE  83 


^  2.  This  is  a  more  modern  plan  of  center  defense  than  the  man-to- 
man style  just  described.  Here  the  men  assume  a  defensive  forrnation 
with  two  men  (usually  forwards)  assigned  to  break  up  plays.  The  two 
guards  stay  back  and  grab  the  nearest  man  in  case  the  opponents'  play 
gets  a  chance  to  develop.  The  center  usually  runs  up  under  his  own 
basket,  leaving  the  circle  on  the  opposite  side  the  ball  is  tipped.  See  Di- 
agram 3. 

Diagram  4  shows  a  successful  variation  of  the  previous  defense.  The 
only  change  is  in  the  position  of  the  forwards.  The  good  point  is  that  it  is 
a  logical  lineup  for  a  team  using  the  5-men  massed  defense,  as  the  men  are 
already  in  their  place,  and  the  one  defense  suffices  for  all  occasions.  This 
plan  is  especially  well  adapted  for  teams  using  the  position  style  of  defense, 
as  the  guards  do  not  come  up  for  the  tip-off,  but  cover  any  loose  opponent 
who  comes  into  their  territory. 

3.  Diagram  5  shows  an  excellent  defense.  The  two  forwards  and  run- 
ning guard  are  expected  to  play  the  ball  if  it  comes  in  their  direction.  In 
this  diagram  the  ball  has  been  tipped  to  the  left,  i  and  4  will  go  after  it, 
the  nearest  taking  it.  Forward  2,  who  is  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
ball,  continues  down  the  floor  to  defense.  In  case  his  own  side  recovers 
the  ball  he  makes  a  quick  stop  and  turn  and  assists  in  the  offense.  Center 
3  may  run  up  under  the  basket,  leaving  on  the  opposite  side  from  where 
the  ball  is  tipped;  or  he  may  be  used  to  aid  the  defense  if  preferred.  This 
is  a  style  of  play  fitting  well  into  the  general  scheme  of  any  defense  except- 
ing the  man-to-man.  Many  teams  line  i  and  2  even  with  the  center  circle 
in  massed  defense  style. 

4.  See  Diagram  6.  This  plan  is  adaptable,  i  and  4  can  play  the  ball 
hard  if  it  comes  their  way.  In  the  diagram  the  ball  is  tipped  to  the  left, 
so  2  drops  back  to  defense,  allowing  5  to  rush  any  pass  to  the  strong  side. 

This  defense  is  based  on  the  idea  that  the  opponents  will  not  risk  more 
than  one  guard  up  at  any  time,  and  one  defensive  man  can  handle  the 
guard-up  plays.  The  opponents,  however,  will  often  send  both  forwards  up 
at  the  same  time,  so  both  4  and  2  are  needed  to  protect  against  tip-offs  in 
which  two  men  threaten.  Center  3  drops  back  until  he  is  sure  his  own 
team  has  the  ball. 

Although  built  about  the  shifting-space  style  of  defense,  this  play  can 
be  adapted  effectively  to  other  defenses.  It  can  be  worked  on  the  man-to- 
man plan,  in  which  4  and  2  will  each  of  them  stick  to  a  forward  while  5 
plays  safety  man.  Again,  it  can  be  played  "nearest-man"  in  which  case  4 
and  2  play  the  ball  if  it  comes  to  their  respective  side  of  the  floor,  but  quickly 
find  an  opponent  in  case  it  is  lost. 

3.   Out  of  Bounds  when  Opponents  Have  Ball 

The  general  rules  on  defense  apply  to  a  large  extent.  This  is  particularly 
true  when  the  opponents  have  the  ball  out  of  bounds  in  their  defensive 
end  or  side  of  the  floor.    Then  a  team  may  use  its  own  defense  without 


84  BASKET     BALL 


variation.  However,  when  an  opposing  team  has  the  ball  out  of  bounds  in 
their  own  half  of  the  floor,  it  is  a  dangerous  situation,  and  it  is  well  to  use 
all  fi-ve  men  in  the  defense.  The  man-to-man  style,  wherein  each  player 
covers  his  own  individual  opponent,  is  recommended  when  there  is  time  to 
find  one's  own  opponent  before  the  ball  is  in  position  to  be  thrown  in  from 
out  of  bounds;  otherwise  grab  the  nearest  man  and  yell ''  I've  got  this  man," 
pointing  to  him  at  the  same  time.  The  men  should  cover  very  closely  as 
a  shot  at  this  close  range  usually  means  a  basket. 

There  is  some  variation  in  the  way  of  playing  against  the  man  who  has 
the  ball  out  of  bounds.  Some  players  place  themselves  directly  opposite 
him  and  as  close  to  the  sideline  or  endline  as  possible,  in  order  to  bother  his 
pass.  This  style  of  play  is  more  useful  when  the  opponent  with  the  ball 
is  directly  under  the  basket,  as  it  is  harder  to  throw  in  here  and  there  is  a 
chance  to  block  the  pass;  also  a  defending  player  must  place  himself  near  the 
thrower  in  order  to  be  between  him  and  the  basket.  However,  when  a  ball 
is  out  of  bounds  on  the  sidelines,  or  on  the  farther  end  of  the  court,  some 
coaches  play  it  differently,  having  the  man  guarding  the  thrower  stand  out 
in  the  field  between  the  opponent  and  the  latter's  basket.  They  claim  the 
following  advantages  are  to  be  gained:  if  the  opponent  breaks  into  the  court, 
you  are  still  between  him  and  his  basket,  whereas  if  you  stood  directly 
opposite  him  he  might  feint  and  side-step,  and  get  in  behind  you  to  receive 
the  pass;  and  again,  if  your  opponent  does  not  attempt  to  follow  up  his 
pass  and  get  in  the  offensive  play,  you  are  in  a  position  to  guard  someone 
else  (if  you  stood  directly  opposite  him  and  he  made  no  eff'ort  to  get  into 
the  play  your  guarding  would  be  wasted). 

All  players  should  remember  to  cover  quickly  so  that  the  opponents 
cannot  take  them  unawares  by  hurried  play. 

It  is  well  to  watch  the  opponents'  guards  in  this  situation. 

One  must  watch  closely  the  man  who  has  the  ball  out  of  bounds  so  that 
he  cannot  get  a  quick  return  pass  and  shot.  He  is  really  more  dangerous 
than  the  man  who  receives  the  first  pass,  as  the  latter  is  often  merely  a 
pivot  in  the  play.  The  pass  back  to  the  man  coming  in  from  out  of  bounds 
is  probably  found  oftener  than  any  other  set  play  on  the  floor. 

In  guarding  the  man  who  is  passing  the  ball  in  from  out  of  bounds,  the 
guarding  player  will  find  it  useful  to  watch  the  player's  eyes,  as  they  usually 
give  a  hint  of  the  direction  of  the  pass,  and  a  chance  is  afforded  to  break  it 
up.  Some  guards  will  watch  the  passer's  feet  instead,  which  is  effective  if 
the  main  idea  is  to  cover  this  man  without  trying  to  spoil  his  pass. 

4.  Foul  Line.  The  point  here  is  to  make  sure  of  the  ball  as  it  rebounds 
from  the  bank.  Play  for  a  held  ball,  if  you  cannot  get  the  ball  itself.  The 
man-to-man  style  is  strong  to  meet  this  situation.  Have  a  certain  man 
picked  out  to  pass  to  if  you  secure  the  ball.  Do  not  bat  the  ball  blindly 
as  it  rebounds  from  the  bank;  sometimes,  however,  a  play  is  made  for  this 
occasion,  in  which  case  the  bat  may  help  materially.  This  is  called  a 
"spot  play." 


THE     DEFENSE 


85 


w 

a; 

}\ 

(3) 

<^ 

Diagram  i. 

The  spot-pass  is  to  the  right  to 
2,  who  breaks  for  the  corner. 
3  steps  into  the  foul  line,  as  the 
ball  often  rebounds  straight  back 
from  a  foul  throw,  and  he  must  get 
in  front  of  the  thrower. 


Diagram  2. 

The  play  is  altered  to  allow  a 
spot-pass  to  either  corner,  2 
breaking  to  the  right,  and  i  to  the 
left.  Either  guard  can  tip  the 
ball  straight  back  of  him,  knowing 
there  will  be  a  receiver  there. 
3  can  play  the  ball  according  to 
which  side  of  him  it  falls. 


CHAPTER  XI 

Offense 
I.    Center  Plays 

Center  plays  are  very  useful  in  order  to  get  possession  of  the  ball. 
This  not  only  assists  the  scoring  chances  but  the  morale  as  well.  In  addition, 
the  practice  of  center  plays  gives  a  good  workout  in  the  fundamentals, 
passing  especially. 

When  the  old  man-to-man  style  of  defense  was  in  vogue,  center  plays 
in  basket  ball  were  "quite  the  rage."  However,  nowadays,  so  many  teams 
use  strong  center  defenses  when  their  man  is  being  out-jumped,  that  it  is 
a  difficult  thing  to  work  a  tip-olFplay  through  to  completion  with  a  basket. 
Still  there  is  a  very  important  gain  if  the  ball  is  obtained  and  is  in  your 
possession,  even  though  the  set  play  cannot  be  followed  out.  Therefore, 
it  is  well  to  have  asignal  for  every  one  of  the  four  spots  around  center;  ahead, 
to  the  left,  to  the  right,  and  to  the  rear.  When  you  have  the  advantage 
of  out-jumping,  you  can  signal  where  you  are  going  to  try  to  tip  the  ball. 

Have  the  plays  well  backed  defensively,  so  that  if  the  tip-ofF  should  be 
grabbed  by  an  opponent  you  will  not  have  all  of  your  men  out  of  defensive 
position. 

Simple  plays,  well  perfected,  are  the  best.  The  more  complicated  a  play, 
the  more  chance  there  is  for  something  to  go  wrong  and  for  it  to  be  broken 
up.  All  plays  should  be  worked  out  so  that  if  they  are  blocked  in  one  direc- 
tion there  is  opportunity  for  passing  to  another  man.  This  prevents  a 
player  from  making  an  aimless  pass  when  he  finds  the  play  blocked. 

Any  team  can  get  along  with  a  few  plays.  Where  a  team  is  losing  interest, 
it  is  well  to  add  a  few  plays  or  variation  of  old  plays. 

Mix  in  a  guard-play  occasionally  so  that  the  opponents  will  not  watch 
the  forwards  alone.  Do  not  use  a  guard-up  play  at  the  beginning  of  the 
game  as  you  are  not  sure  of  the  tip-ofF,  and  if  the  opposite  center  should  get 
the  jump  you  will  likely  have  a  basket  made  against  you  in  the  first  min- 
ute of  play.    The  first  basket  is  worth  a  lot  for  the  psychological  effect. 

At  the  beginning  of  each  half  have  the  team  go  on  the  floor  with  a 
prearranged  play,  as  that  is  the  time  the  opponents  will  look  for  signals, 
and  is  also  the  time  when  a  player  is  most  apt  to  miss  getting  the  signal 
in  the  excitement. 

Signals  are  good  only  so  long  as  they  are  working;  they  will  be  a  team's 
downfall  if  the  opposing  center  is  getting  the  tip-ofF  all  the  time.  If  this 
is  the  case,  let  signals  go  and  use  one  of  the  defensive  systems  previously 
outlined. 

A  play  can  be  worked  on  either  side  of  the  court;  for  instance  a  play  in 
which  the  right  forward  receives  the  tip-ofF  can  be  reversed  by  tipping  the 
ball  to  the  left  forward. 

a.    Forward  Plays.   These  are  the  plays  in  which  only  the  forwards  and 

86 


OFFENSE 


87 


center  participate  in  handling  the  ball.  They  should  be  used  when  the 
opposing  guards  are  playing  up  close  to  the  center,  the  ball  can  then^be 
tipped  or  batted  over  their  heads;  also,  when  the  opposing  center  is  playing 
a  weak  or  loose  defensive  game,  the  plays  to  the  forwards  will  allow  an 
extra  man  to  be  put  in  position  for  a  shot  at  goal.  The  forward  plays  are 
good  to  use  when  the  team  first  goes  on  the  floor,  not  being  certain  of  the 
tip-ofF,  as  this  leaves  the  guards  in  a  good  defensive  position.  When  the 
opposing  guards  play  stationary  on  the  tip-oflF,  the  forward  plays  are  good 
ones  to  try,  as  possession  of  the  ball  means  a  lot;  and  though  the  men  under 
the  basket  are  covered,  the  forward  getting  the  ball  is  open  for  a  shot. 
Another  way  of  getting  possession  of  the  ball  is  to  have  the  center  tip  the 
ball  to  one  side  and  recover  it  himself.  This  is  possible  when  the  center  is 
clearly  out-jumping  his  opponent. 

In  the  plays  shown  in  the  diagram  the  ball  is  tipped  to  the  right  forward; 
however,  they  can  be  started  by  tipping  the  ball  to  the  opposite  forward 
and  the  positions  of  the  other  players  reversed. 

The  guards  do  not  follow  their  opponents  into  the  tip-ofF,  but  one  of 
them  should  be  ready,  in  case  the  tip-ofF  is  successful,  to  go  up  the  floor  a 
short  distance  to  participate  in  the  pass  work. 


Play  I. 


Play  2. 


^ 

f1 

r 

V 

© 

© 

3-2-'j  or 
3 


Play  3. 

f^-~ 

©^ 

^P 

D 

® 

© 

© 

3-2  direct,  i  blocks. 
Useful  on  small  floor,  or 
where  center  is  easily  con- 
trolling ball. 


b.  Forward-to-guard  Plays.  By  a  forward-to-guard  play  is  meant  a  play 
where  the  forward  receives  the  tip-ofF,  and  makes  a  pass  to  a  guard  before 
the  play  reaches  its  completion.  These  plays  are  most  useful  when  the 
opposing  guards  stick  close  to  the  forwards  and  are  following  them  up 
into  the  tip-ofF,  as  this  leaves  an  open  space  in  the  scoring  end  of  the 
court.  Again,  many  of  these  plays  permit  the  forward  to  get  rid  of  the  ball 
easily  when  he  is  hard  pressed  from  behind,  and  yet  allow  the  guard  who 
receives  it  an  easy  pass  in  the  direction  he  is  facing. 

.  This  type  of  play  is  on  the  principle  of  interchanging  guards  and  for- 
wards when  the  opponents  are  playing  a  close  man-to-man  game. 

In  these  plays  it  is  necessary  that  the  men  on  the  team  be  versatile, 


88 


BASKET    BALL 


i.e.,  the  guards  be  good  shots  and  the  forwards  and  center  be  good  on  the 
defensive. 


Play  I. 

k±=^ 

9iX^ 

<p 

/V 

/ 

r' 

i 

® 

3-2- 


Play  2. 

^ 

> 

^ 

Nh 

>< 

© 

h> 

3-2-5-^  or 
(Or  5  may  dribble.) 


3-1-4.  I  bats  to  4.  4 
dribbles  or  passes  to  5. 
The  play  tries  to  draw 
opponents  to  left  side  of 
the  floor. 


c.  Guard-Up  Plays.  These  are  plays  in  which  one  of  the  guards  receives 
the  tip-ofF.  They  are  useful  to  mix  in  with  other  plays,  but  only  when  you 
are  fairly  sure  of  the  tip-ofF.  When  the  opponents  are  playing  a  center 
defense  against  you,  and  are  bringing  one  forward,  or  both  forwards,  into 
your  half  of  the  field  to  aid  in  their  defense,  the  guard-up  plays  will  work 
well,  or  at  least  give  you  possession  of  the  ball.  They  can  also  be  used  when 
the  opposing  guards  are  playing  a  stationary  defense  on  the  tip-ofF  (not 
following  the  forwards  up  into  the  tip-ofF),  for  an  opening  is  left  in  the  center 
of  the  floor  near  the  basket  for  a  dribble  by  the  guard,  or  pass  to  a  player 
in  this  space.  They  are  also  useful  when  the  opponents'  guards  follow  your 
forwards  into  the  tip-ofF;  then  the  forwards  can  reverse  back  quickly 
into  their  own  territory. 


Play 


^ 

X 

X 

xir^ 

^ 

© 

I 

3-5-1  or 


(Or    5    may    dribble   if 
there  is  an  opening.) 


Play  3.  (Cross-guard.) 


5  should  leap  in  air  for 
tip-off.  I  breaks  to  meet 
ball.  I  hook-passes  to  3 
or  2. 


3-4-2.  I  keeps  on  de- 
fense in  case  4  does  not  get 
the  ball.  2  feints  up  floor, 
then  pivots  back  under  bas- 
ket. The  play  can  be 
worked  3-5-2,  with  5  com- 
ing up  his  side-line  to  re- 
ceive the  tip-off. 


OFFENSE 


89 


Any  of  the  plays  that  have  been  illustrated  can  be  adapted  to  use  on 
any  formation  the  coach  desires  for  his  center  lineup.  They  may  need^td^be 
modified  somewhat.  A  few  other  formations  are  shown  below  along  with 
new  suggestions  for  plays. 

Play  I.  Play  2. 


371-4- 
4  may  dribble  or  pass 
to  3. 

Play  3. 


I  blocks  4's  opponent. 
Useful  when  i  and  4  are 
guarded  closely. 


Play  5. 

^ 

i 

i 

y 

© 

© 

Play  6. 


4  jumps  m  air  to  get 
ball  and  takes  bounce  be- 
fore shot.  I  and  2  go  to 
corners.  Works  when  op- 
ponents bring  their  men 
close  to  center. 


372-4- 
4  may  dribble  or  pass 
to  I  or  3. 

Play  4. 


2,  3  and  4  help  block. 
The  idea  is  to  get  posses- 
sion of  the  ball  when  op- 
ponents are  using  5-men 
massed  defense  at  center. 


0 

«-1. 

^ 

© 

© 

3-2-1. 

I    may   shoot    or   pass 
to  3. 


3-4rS- 
Good  against  close  man- 
to-man    guarding    game. 
Interchanges  guards  and 
forwards. 


90 


BASKET    BALL 


Play  9. 


Play  10. 


3-2-4. 

3-2-4-1. 

I 

4  may  dribble  or  pass  to 

Good  variation  of  play 

3-5-] or 

3.    I  blocks  so  2  may  get 

8.     I   starts  up,  then  re- 

2 

the  tip-ofF. 

verses. 

Useful  when  opponents 
guard  4  closely. 

d.  Shifts.  Shift  plays  are  used  on  the  tip-ofF,  the  idea  being  to  deceive 
the  opponents  as  to  which  positions  your  men  are  playing.  It  works  against 
strange  teams,  but  the  effectiveness  depends  almost  entirely  on  the  op- 
ponents using  the  man-to-man  defense.  Sometimes  the  team  will  line  the 
forwards  up  in  the  guard  positions,  and  vice  versa.  Again,  a  team  may 
line  its  five  men  across  the  floor,  and  when  the  ball  is  thrown  into  the  air 
they  scatter. 

e.  Signals. 

I.  Method  of  Giving.  Some  teams  call  numbers  as  in  football;  this  is 
often  confusing  on  account  of  the  noise  in  an  indoor  hall. 

Where  there  is  but  one  play  for  each  man,  signals  are  simple  to  give;  a 
man  may  be  designated  by  an  upraised  finger,  the  men  being  numbered 
in  order  from  one  to  five,  and  the  fingers  would  indicate  to  which  man  the 
ball  would  be  tipped.  Another  way  is  to  have  the  center  circle  divided  into 
imaginary  quarters,  the  quarter  which  the  center  enters  being  the  one 
toward  which  the  ball  is  to  be  tipped. 

Where  there  is  more  than  one  play  for  each  man  then  a  combination 
must  be  used  to  show  both  the  number  of  the  play  and  the  direction  in 
which  it  is  to  go.  One  combination  is  to  use  the  foot  and  hand  positions, 
the  hand  giving  the  number  and  the  feet  the  direction  of  the  play.  The 
feet  may  give  the  direction  by  the  side  of  the  ring  which  is  entered  first, 
thus  allowing  for  a  play  being  worked  on  both  sides  of  the  court.  At  the 
same  time  the  feet  are  giving  the  direction  of  the  play,  the  hands  will 
be  giving  the  number  of  the  play.  Thus  the  hand  to  the  head  will  indi- 
cate play  number  one;  to  the  neck,  play  number  two;  hips,  play  number 
three;  etc. 

If  it  is  desired,  instead,  to  have  the  hands  indicate  the  direction  of  the 
play,  this  can  be  done  by  having  the  hand  opened  or  closed,  or  above  or 
below  the  waist. 


OFFENSE  91 


Where  the  feet  give  the  direction  of  the  play,  another  method  of  giving 
the  number  of  the  play  is  by  raising  a  certain  number  of  fingers  on  one  hand. 
If  the  other  hand  is  raised  at  the  same  time,  it  will  help  to  conceal  the  real 
signal. 

It  is  possible  to  have  the  play  designated  by  foot  positions;  for  instance, 
the  feet  together  would  be  play  number  one;  feet  apart,  play  two;  one  foot 
ahead,  play  three;  raising  toe,  four;  raising  one  heel,  five;  etc. 

Still  another  way  to  give  signals,  especially  by  the  forward,  is  to  have 
the  man  giving  them  stand  in  certain  places  on  the  floor.  Against  the 
sideline  would  be  a  play;  between  the  sideline  and  foul  line  another;  inside 
the  foul  line  a  third;  etc.  If  the  play  is  to  be  used  on  both  sides  of  center, 
the  side  can  be  designated  by  hand  signals. 

2.  Who  Should  Give.  The  center  or  one  of  the  forwards  should  give  the 
signals.  Now  and  then  they  are  found  given  by  an  experienced  guard.  The 
advantage  of  having  the  signals  given  by  the  forward  is  that  he  is  facing 
the  whole  field  while  the  center  can  see  only  half  of  it.  If  the  forward 
gives  the  signal  it  should  be  given  just  as  the  center  steps  into  the  ring,  so 
that  all  the  players  may  know  when  to  look  for  it,  and  it  will  not  have  to 
be  repeated.  He  should  also  consult  the  center  so  as  to  find  out  what  the 
opposing  center  is  doing,  thus  taking  advantage  of  any  weakness  of  the 
opposing  center,  or  his  team,  or  to  avoid  playing  to  the  opponents'  strong 
points. 

Another  argument  in  favor  of  the  forward  giving  the  signal  is  that  the 
opposing  center  has  his  back  turned  to  the  former,  and  cannot  see  the 
signal  or  anticipate  the  play,  which  prevents  his  tipping  the  ball  to  an 
unguarded  opening  or  breaking  up  the  play  in  case  he  loses  the  tip-ofF.  The 
forward  can  more  easily  cover  his  signals  than  the  center. 

The  argument  for  the  center  giving  the  signals  is  that  the  center  is 
better  able  to  size  up  the  opponents'  center's  weaknesses  and  strong 
points,  also  the  plays  will  be  run  off  faster  and  more  smoothly,  on  the  same 
principle  that  in  football  the  quarter-back  is  the  logical  man  to  call  the 
signals.  In  making  the  choice  of  these  two  methods,  take  into  consideration 
the  experience  and  judgment  of  the  players  involved. 

When  one  man  is  giving  the  signals,  another  should  give  fake  signals; 
for  instance,  when  the  center  is  giving  them,  the  forward  should  fake  a 
signal,  and  vice  versa. 

2.     OUT-OF-BOUND  PlAYS 

Probably  the  best  place  to  work  set  plays  in  basket  ball  is  on  an  out-of- 
bound  ball,  because  the  team  is  in  absolute  possession  of  the  ball  and  does 
not  run  the  chance  of  being  caught  out  of  position  such^as  is  the  case  on  a 
tip-off  when  the  opponents  get  the  jump. 

The  out-of-bound  play  is  increasing  in  popularity,  especially  in  a  team's 
own  half  of  the  floor.  This  is  the  place  on  the  floor  where  an  out-of-bound 
play  is  very  dangerous  and  the  opponents  will  usually  fight  hard  to  prevent 


92  BASKET     BALL 


a  man  being  loose,  and  to  bother  the  passer  from  making  a  good  pass  into 
the  field  of  play. 

Under  ordinary  circumstances  when  a  team  is  using  the  five-men 
massed  defense,  the  man  passing  the  ball  in  is  not  guarded  on  an  out-of- 
bound  play  starting  in  the  open  half  of  the  floor,  as  the  defense  has  swung 
its  five  men  back  to  the  middle.  The  great  difficulty  with  out-of-bound 
plays  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  players  donotthinkquickly  enough  where  they 
should  go,  and  the  ball  must  be  thrown  in  within  five  seconds.  It  requires 
constant  drilling  to  get  a  team  to  work  out-of-bound  plays,  and  the  new 
coach  is  often  disappointed  in  the  results.  It  is  well  worth  the  effort, 
however,  as  a  few  baskets  in  the  important  games  later  in  the  season  may 
mean  victory.  A  team  of  old  heads  should  not  be  bothered  in  learning  a 
few  good  plays. 

Probably  the  best  asset  on  an  out-of-bound  play  is  to  get  the  ball  in 
from  out  of  bounds  quickly.  In  other  words,  play  the  ball  as  if  it  were  in  the 
field  of  play.  The  opponents  will  often  be  caught  napping.  A  great  many 
times  a  player  knows  whose  ball  it  is  without  waiting  to  hear  the  referee 
announce  it,  consequently  he  can  put  the  ball  in  play  very  quickly  before 
the  opposition  can  get  set.  The  coach  should  have  the  players  understand 
that  when  there  is  a  man  loose  to  pass  to  quickly,  that  they  should  do  so, 
ignoring  the  set  play;  as  the  idea  of  the  set  play  is  to  get  a  man  loose  to 
receive  a  pass  in  the  field  of  play. 

The  man  who  passes  the  ball  in  from  out  of  bounds  is  usually  the  best 
man  to  pass  the  ball  to  as  the  opponent  guarding  him  will  naturally  watch 
the  ball  momentarily,  and  this  allows  the  first  passer  to  get  back  on  the 
court  and  get  the  ball  returned  to  him  before  the  guarding  man  wakes  up. 

The  simplest  way  of  working  out-of-bound  plays  is  to  give  each  player 
a  play  of  his  own.  Signals  may  be  called — this  is  another  method.  Still 
another  way  would  be  to  have  the  side  of  the  floor  on  which  the  ball  is  out 
indicate  which  play  is  to  be  used,  but  in  this  method  a  heady  player 
must  be  picked  to  take  the  position  where  the  man  who  has  the  ball 
out  of  bounds  ordinarily  would  be  on  the  play. 

The  players  should  get  into  positions  for  these  plays  as  soon  as  the 
ball  goes  out  of  bounds.  This  must  be  done  quickly,  as  the  time  for  getting 
set  is  very  short.  In  case  the  guard  goes  up  on  the  play,  always  make 
provision  for  some  one  to  take  his  place. 

On  plays  that  have  to  carry  the  ball  the  length  of  the  floor,  the  player 
nearest  the  basket  should  not  break  for  the  new  position  until  the  ball  has 
been  worked  half  way  up  the  floor,  so  as  to  be  in  motion  when  the  ball 
reaches  him. 

Out-of-bound  plays  in  your  own  half  of  the  court  are  the  most  essential 
'  to  have.   A  successful  pass  gives  a  close  shot.   Again,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
work  up  special  plays  for  the  other  half  of  the  floor,  as  a  team  may  use  its 
usual  style  of  advancing  the  ball  in  teamplay. 

Some  teams  use  as  few  as  two  plays,  one  for  each  half  of  the  floor.    A 


OFFENSE 


93 


better  way  is  to  adapt  the  play  not  only  to  the  part  of  the  court  but  to  a 
man  also. 

Some  teams  can  use  three  plays,  one  for  the  center  when  out  of  bounds, 
one  for  the  forwards,  and  one  for  the  guards.  The  men  would  take  the 
ball  out  according  to  the  following  diagram. 


1-3 


The  same  play  is  used  by  i  and  2,  and  4 
and  5,  except  that  it  is  worked  on  either  side 
of  the  court  as  in  tip-ofF  plays. 


i-3 


The  men  should  be  instructed  that  when  the  ball  is  out  in  the  scoring 
half  of  the  floor,  the  center  or  designated  forward  should  take  it,  and  when 
out  in  the  other  half,  the  designated  guard  should  start  the  play.  In  this 
way  the  play  can  be  adapted  to  whichever  part  of  the  floor  the  ball 
happens  to  be  on. 

For  experienced  teams  five  or  six  plays  can  be  worked  on  the  same 
plan  as  illustrated  by  the  diagram,  i  and  2  have  the  same  play  but  when 
out  on  the  side  of  space  A,  i  takes  it,  and  when  in  B,  2  takes  it.  4  takes 
the  ball  outside  space  C,  and  5  likewise  with  respect  to  D;  the  same  play 
being  worked  from  opposite  sides.  This  makes  five  different  plays.  Play 
i:  3  has  a  play  under  the  basket  worked  to  either  side  according  to 
whether  it  is  A  or  B.  Play  2:  i  takes  the  ball  on  his  side  under  the  basket 
and  2  works  the  same  play  on  the  opposite  side  under  the  basket.  Play  3 
and  4:  On  the  sides  of  the  space  A,  B,  there  are  two  plays,  3  working  one 
play  on  both  sides,  and  i  working  a  play  on  side  A,  and  2  the  same  play 
from  side  B.  Play  5 :  There  is  only  one  play  for  space  C,  D,  When  used 
from  the  sides,  4  takes  the  ball  on  the  left,  and  5  on  the  right.  When 
played  from  the  end,  the  same  play  is  used.  If  desired,  4  can  take  the  ball 
when  out  at  the  left  of  the  basket,  and  5  when  at  the  right,  but  this  is  not 
necessary — the  nearest  guard  can  take  the  ball  for  that  matter. 

It  is  desirable  to  have  the  different  plays  under  the  basket  start  out  as 
nearly  alike  as  possible,  but  end  up  differently. 

a.  Examples  of  Play  s  Out  of  Bounds  under  Own  Basket.  Most  of  these  are 
based  on  the  idea  of  bringing  both  guards  up  and  having  one  of  the  forward 
men  go  back  to  guard,  drawing  an  opponent  with  him;  or  on  freeing  a  man 
by  blocking.  These  two  ideas  work  here  because  the  opponents  are  guard- 
ing the  forwards  and  center  unusually  close. 


94 


BASKET    BALL 


Play 


Play  2. 


4  and  5  both  come  up  floor,  i 
passes  to  either  of  them,  in  this 
diagram  5.  5  can  shoot,  or  pass 
back  to  I,  who  cuts  around  under 
basket.  There  is  a  good  chance 
of  I  being  free  as  his  guard  may  be 
blocked  from  following. 


4  should  be  loose  if  his  guard  A 
plays  to  his  side.  A  finds  i  and 
I's  guard  in  the  way  when  he  tries 
to  follow  4. 


Play  3- 


This  play  is  like  play  2,  except 
that  4's  man  A  lines  up  differently. 

4  goes  in  the  same  as  in  play  2 
but  is  followed  by  5,  who  gets  the 
ball  from  3. 


3  passes  to  4;  2  blocks  4*s  op- 
ponent. I  crosses  under  the  bas- 
ket, calling  for  the  ball. 


Many  other  combinations  of  these  plays  may  be  made.  For  instance 
in  play  i,  3  may  also  run  toward  the  passer,  in  which  case  guard  A  would 
surely  be  pocketed,  and  i  may  slip  to  the  side  to  which  he  makes  the  pass 
to  a  guard.  In  this  case  the  guards  start  upon  opposite  sidelines,  and 
the  guard  not  receiving  the  ball  hastens  back  to  defensive  territory.  Other 
ideas  may  be  seen  under  the  examples  of  blocking  plays. 


I 


OFFENSE 


95 


h.    Out  of  Bounds  on  Sidelines. 

I .  In  Own  Half  of  Floor.  The  plays  that  have  been  outHned  for  use  under 
the  basket  may  easily  be  modified  to  serve  on  the  sidelines  in  that  half  of 
the  floor.  The  following  outlines  and  explanations  will  give  suggestions 
for  such  a  use. 


I  throws  high  pass  to  2,  who 
meets  it  and  bats  it  to  the 
right.  I  breaks  fast  and  re- 
covers the  ball,  i  can  pass  to 
5  if  necessary.    3  blocks. 


2  runs  as  per  arrow,  and  his  man  is  cut  off 
when  he  tries  to  follow.  If  2  is  pressed  hard 
when  he  receives  the  ball  he  can  make  a 
hasty  spot-pass  to  i,  who  has  run  around  the 
crowd.  I's  guard  A  is  blocked  off  in  the 
jam.  The  play  can  be  made  with  2  whirling 
backward  on  his  man  and  going  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  dotted  line. 


A  good  alternate  to  play  2. 
3  and  2  run  as  in  previous  play, 
but  I  passes  to  4,  then  goes 
back  to  guard. 

4  may  dribble  or  pass  to  a 
man  ahead  of  him. 


2.  In  Opponents^  Half  of  Floor.  No  special  plays  need  be  developed  in 
this  part  of  the  floor,  as  the  styles  of  oflFense  that  are  used  to  get  a  concerted 
attack  up  the  floor  or  to  break  through  a  five-men  massed  defense  can  be 
used  here.  In  general  it  is  a  good  idea  for  the  guard  who  throws  the  ball 
into  the  court  to  fill  in  behind  the  other  guard,  allowing  the  latter  to  go  up 
the  floor. 

When  the  opponents  use  the  man-to-man  defense  a  long-pass  play  as 
shown  under  teamplay  is  very  valuable  here;  also  have  a  play  to  break 
through  a  five-men  massed  defense  in  case  the  opponents  drop  back  leaving 
the  road  clear  as  far  as  center. 


96 


BASKET     BALL 


c.  Under  Opponents'  Basket.  Under  the  opponents'  basket  the  same  di- 
rections as  just  explained  for  the  sideHnes  in  the  opponents'  half  of  the 
floor  can  be  followed.    There  are  a  few  things  to  note. 

When  the  ball  is  out  under  the  opponents'  basket  care  must  be  taken  in 
passing  the  ball  out  when  the  opponents  play  a  man-to-man  game.  An 
intercepted  pass  is  dangerous.  If  the  opponent  stands  directly  in  front  of 
the  passer,  the  latter  should  step  back  from  the  endline,  and  if  necessary 
feint  and  bounce  the  ball  under  the  opponent.  The  teammates  should 
break  toward  the  man  who  has  the  ball,  so  as  to  meet  it  and  avoid  the 
chance  of  interception. 

3.    Foul  Line  Plays 

The  tallest  forward  should  play  near  the  basket.  The  men  should  be 
stationed  so  that  the  ball  will  be  recovered  no  matter  which  direction  the 
rebound  takes.  They  can  demand  alternate  places  on  the  foul  line  in  case 
the  extra  opponents  try  to  crowd  them  out. 


X 

TH 

X 

0 

k 

© 

Vr 

^ 

^A 

K^j/ 

r^^^ 

0 

A  play  built  up  to  break  up 
opponents'  defensive  play  of  hav- 
ing a  man  step  in  front  of  the 
shooter.  5  goes  in  for  rebound 
and  4  drops  back.  The  play  can 
be  changed  with  4  going  in  and  5 
running  back.  3  is  tallest  man. 
2  breaks  to  corner  where  i  can  tip 
ball  to  him. 


I,  2,  3,  all  of  them  play  a  spot- 
pass,  or  bat  to  4,  who  shoots.  The 
play  can  be  mixed  up  by  making  it 
to  the  opposite  corner  to  5,  in 
which  event  4  would  drop  back. 


4.    General  Styles  of  Teamplay 

There  are  several  distinct  methods  of  advancing  the  ball  to  within 
scoring  distance.  Under  one  method,  the  guards  play  a  tight  defensive 
game,  merely  watching  their  opponents,  placing  the  bulk  of  the  offense  on 
the  center  and  forwards.  The  opposite  of  this  is  where  every  man  goes  up 
the  floor  and  aids  in  the  passing  and  shooting.  The  majority  of  the  teams 
compromise  on  these  two  methods,  and  play  a  stationary  and  a  running 
guard.  For  the  average  team,  the  latter  offense  is  adaptable  to  almost  all 
conditions. 


OFFENSE  97 


Some  coaches  have  attempted  to  work  out  a  system  of  having -the 
players  run  to  definite  positions  when  they  recover  the  ball  from  the 
opponents.  This  is  very  complicated  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  players 
never  find  themselves  in  the  same  position  twice  in  succession. 

In  developing  an  offensive  style  of  play  the  coach  cannot  definitely 
plan  on  a  set  and  rigid  pass  to  this  man,  or  to  that  man.  The  reason  is 
that  the  man  in  mind  may  be  out  of  position,  or  that  the  opponents  have 
not  lined  up  in  the  way  they  should  for  the  success  of  the  play.  The  play 
should  always  have  the  possibility  of  two  or  more  openings  in  case  some- 
thing upsets  the  original  strategy. 

The  teams  which  play  the  best  teamwork  are  those  which  have  played 
together  from  their  grammar-school  days;  each  man  knows  instinctively 
from  long  association  just  what  his  teammate  will  do,  and  can  pass  the 
ball  without  stopping  to  think.  Some  coaches  have  attempted  to  accomplish 
the  same  result  with  newly  organized  teams,  by  having  the  set  situation  as 
explained  above,  but  the  difference  is  that  with  the  older  teams  the  attack 
is  spontaneous,  while  in  the  second  case  time  is  lost  because  the  men  must 
adjust  themselves  to  a  mechanical  style  of  play,  and  they  cannot  as  yet 
do  this  automatically.  Some  coaches  still  insist  that  teamwork  can 
only  come  from  playing  together  constantly,  and  that  the  planned  attack 
only  hampers  the  players.  Success  in  this  regard,  however,  is  one  of  the 
developments  that  is  being  seen  frequently  at  present,  as  experiments 
are  constantly  being  made  in  this  direction. 

The  best  teams  go  on  the  floor  nowadays  showing  a  planned  attack,  and 
the  variations  in  methods  of  advancing  the  ball  make  for  one  of  the  prettiest 
parts  of  the  game  as  a  spectacle.  One  team  may  use  a  long-shot  game  with 
a  hard  follow-up;  another,  a  very  short  pass  in  which  the  men  bunch  close 
together;  still  another,  a  fast  dribbling  style;  another,  a  combination  of 
the  long  and  short  pass;  another,  a  pivot  and  back-passing  game;  and  there 
are  many  other  possibilities. 

Some  of  the  general  things  necessary  for  successful  team  work  are 
given  below. 

1.  Have  the  players  meet  the  ball  in  their  pass  work.  This  does  away 
with  the  chance  of  having  passes  intercepted.  When  meeting  the  ball  the 
receiver  and  his  guard  are  found  in  the  manner 

shown,  whereas  if  the  receiver  is  running  away  ©L^    z  -re^efver 

from  the  pass  the  diagram  shows  the  chance  for      ^  )(,     ^»^3  -guard 
interception.     Too,  when  the  receiver  runs  away 
from  the  pass,  there  is  also  the  disadvantage 
not  knowing  what  his  course  is  to  be. 

2.  Have  a  prearranged  plan  of  starting  the  team  work  when  a  guard 
recovers  the  ball  from  the  opponents'  bank.  A  good  plan  is  to  whip  the 
ball  out  to  the  side  where  a  free  man  is  kept  stationed.  Very  likely  he  will 
he  clear  if  the  opponents  have  followed  in  on  their  shot. 

3.  As  a  general  rule,  the  first  pass  should  be  to  the  same  side  from  which 


98  BASKET     BALL 


it  comes  off  the  backboard.     This  is  a  much  safer  play  than  to  pass  the  ball 
across  the  floor  under  the  opponents'  basket. 

4.  When  the  scrimmage  is  close  under  your  own  basket,  and  the  op- 
posing team  is  guarding  closely,  one  player,  usually  a  guard,  should  play 
around  the  vicinity  of  the  foul  line  or  in  a  corner,  so  that  the  other  men  can 
tip  the  ball  back  to  him. 

5.  Have  a  trailer  on  dribble  plays. 

6.  On  dribble  plays,  if  coming  down  the  center  of  the  floor,  have  the 
teammates  go  to  the  corners  to  clear  a  space;  if  the  dribbler  is  coming  up 
the  sideline,  the  teammates  should  cross  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  floor 
for  the  same  purpose. 

7.  Have  the  men  well  coached  on  following  up  the  rebound.  Some 
of  the  rebound  methods  are:  i.  Have  a  tall  man  specialized  for  this  one 
duty.  He  can  be  assisted  by  the  man  who  shoots.  2.  Have  two  men  driving 
into  the  basket  from  opposite  sidelines  and  a  third  man  come  straight  down 
the  floor  past  the  foul  line.  This  covers  the  shot  from  all  possible  sides. 
3.  Have  the  men  criss-cross  when  near  the  basket,  and  then  circle  around 
so  as  to  dart  back  in  to  the  basket  again.  4.  Have  a  man  under  the 
basket  face  the  floor  and  bat  the  ball  to  his  teammates  as  they  come 
toward  him. 

8.  The  rear  guard  should  come  up  the  floor  to  assist  in  the  passing 
whenever  he  is  needed,  but  in  such  a  case  the  man  who  passes  to  him  should 
fill  in  behind  to  make  the  play  safe  defensively. 

9.  Many  coaches  insist  that  the  only  logical  kind  of  teamwork  is  one  of 
criss-crossing  from  the  moment  a  team  gets  the  ball  oflF  the  opponents' 
bank.  They  ridicule  the  idea  of  play  in  straight  lines  up  the  floor.  This 
is  wrong  to  a  certain  extent.  Just  as  long  as  there  is  a  chance  to  get  the 
ball  up  the  floor  ahead  of  the  opponents,  the  straight-line  method  is  the 
fastest  to  use,  spreading  out  to  the  sideHnes  to  attempt  to  make  the 
opponents'  guards  cover  more  ground  and  therefore  leave  more  openings. 
In  case  the  opponents  have  you  covered,  then  the  criss-crossing  method  can 
be  resorted  to. 

10.  All  passes  should  be  followed.  In  this  way  two  or  three  players 
may  often  carry  the  ball  up  the  floor  in  case  the  other  players  are  closel}^ 
guarded.  No  player  should  stand  still  after  making  a  pass,  but  should  run 
at  once  to  an  open  space  to  be  in  position  for  a  return  pass.  The  man  who 
makes  a  pass  will  often  be  left  uncovered,  as  the  opponents  are  likely  to 
run  toward  the  man  receiving  the  pass,  leaving  an  open  space  for  the  passer. 
This  appHes  particularly  to  the  short-pass  style  of  play. 

By  means  of  the  following  diagrams,  with  their  accompanying  ex- 
planations, some  of  the  best-known  plans  of  offensive  team  play  are  demon- 
strated. They  show  how  teams,  even  without  a  set  situation,  can  maintain 
a  general  relation  between  their  players  so  that  each  has  an  idea  of  the 
positions  of  his  teammates,  and  can  keep  in  touch  with  them  in  pre- 
meditated methods  of  advancing  the  ball. 


OFFENSE 


99 


I.  One  system  that  many  teams  use  in  advancing  the 
ball  depends  upon  placing  a  powerful  man  in  the  center 
of  the  floor.  The  two  forwards  are  ahead  of  him,  one  on 
each  side,  and  a  guard  trails  behind.  The  center  is  the 
pivot  for  short  passes.  When  he  is  too  hard  pressed  to 
pass  to  the  forwards  (or  if  they  are  covered)  he  passes 
back  to  the  guards.  The  forwards  on  the  sides  may 
dribble  if  they  have  a  good  opening.  The  center  man 
follows  up  the  shots  and  may  tip  the  ball  to  a  team- 
mate. 


2.  Another  system  keeps  the  teamwork  on  one  side 
of  the  floor,  in  order  to  draw  the  opponents  over,  thus 
leaving  an  open  space  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  court 
into  which  a  man  may  be  sent  when  within  scoring 
distance,  timing  the  passing  so  that  the  player  may 
receive  a  pass  on  the  run.  Success  depends  on  perfect 
timing.    Either  guard  may  go  up. 


3.  A  third  method  is  to  start  the  teamwork  with  a 
long  pass  to  a  tall  man,  preferably  the  center,  who  is 
under  your  own  basket  and  who  rushes  down  the  center 
of  the  floor  to  meet  this  pass.  In  the  meantime  the  two 
forwards  are  advancing  up  the  sides  of  the  court.  At 
the  time  the  center  receives  the  ball  the  forwards  break 
from  the  sidelines  toward  the  basket  and  criss-cross. 
\he  guard  who  does  not  make  the  long  pass  advances 
toward  the  player  who  is  receiving  it.  The  center  who 
receives  the  ball  often  will  pivot  back  and  take  a  shot  or 
dribble  in  close  to  the  basket.  He  can  vary  his  tactics 
by  coming  down  one  sideline,  in  which  case  the  forward 
on  that  side  would  break  into  the  center  of  the  floor. 


^ 

® 

) 

©- 

</ 

© 

© 

4.  Method  three  can  be  varied  to  use  with  a  dribble, 
pivot  and  short-pass  play  as  follows.  Use  the  previous 
play  when  the  tall  back  guard  5  gets  the  ball  off"  the 
bank.  Then  the  present  play  can  be  used  as  an  alter- 
nate when  4,  a  fast  dribbler,  gets  the  ball.  4  dribbles 
to  center,  pivots,  and  back-passes  to  2,  who  passes  to  3 
coming  down  the  sideline.  4  goes  ahead  after  his  pivot. 
3  may  pass  or  pivot  back  with  the  ball.  He  comes  in 
for  the]^rebound  in  any  case. 


100 


BASKET    BALL 


5.  A  method  in  which  the  forwards  go  down  the  side- 
lines and  reverse  back,  drawing  the  defensive  guards  out. 
3  goes  down  the  middle  and  out  to  a  corner.  The  guard, 
either  4  or  5,  goes  clear  under  the  basket  for  a  close  shot. 
Often  he  dribbles  in  himself  with  no  opposition.  A  good 
idea  is  to  have  the  forwards  criss-cross  after  they  reverse 
back.  This  will  be  effective  in  losing  their  guards  in  case 
the  latter  follow  them  out. 


6.  A  successful  style  of  play  featuring  the  criss-cross, 
back  pass  and  short  dribble. 

3  receives  ball  near  middle  of  floor,  i  and  2  criss- 
cross behind  him,  the  latter  going  first.  3  makes  a 
pivot  and  back-pass  to  i,  then  circles  behind  him.  i 
takes  a  bounce,  pivots  and  passes  to  3.  3  bounces, 
then  passes  to  2,  who  now  returns  to  the  play.  The 
play  is  then  repeated,  only  reversed  as  it  carries  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  floor. 


Two  other  styles  of  team  offense. 


7.  The  passer  always  cuts  be- 
hind the  man  he  passes  to,  and 
then  turns  toward  the  center  of 
the  floor.     4  trails  the  ball. 


8.  Offense  with  the  ball  going 
up  the  center  of  the  floor.  4 
trails  the  ball. 


5.    Breaking  Through  the  Five-men  Massed  Defense 

Some  teams  have  a  style  of  play  that  they  do  not  need  to  vary  when 
meeting  the  five-men  defense.  Others  try  to  get  the  ball  up  the  floor  fast 
before  the  opponents  can  get  back;  then,  if  this  fails,  they  change  their 
tactics. 


OFFENSE 


•1^1 


Several  ways  of  getting  a  quick  offense  under  way  have  been  described. 
However,  in  case  you  cannot  get  up  the  floor  before  the  opponents  have 
massed  their  defense,  then  special  tactics  must  be  adopted. 

In  general,  the  methods  employed  for  this  purpose  are  of  five  sorts: 
I.  The  long  shot,  with  a  strong  follow-up;  2.  A  combined  use  of  the  dribble 
and  bounce-pass,  or  dribble,  pivot,  and  back-pass,  in  the  offensive  team- 
play.  (In  this  plan,  the  purpose  is  to  get  the  ball  by  the  front  row  of 
defense.)  3.  Almost  the  same  as  2,  except  that  three  offensive  players  are 
sent  through  the  defense  before  the  attempt  is  made  to  advance  the  ball 
to  the  center  of  the  floor  (if  no  member  of  the  opponent's  front  rank  drops 
back,  this  gives  three  offensive  men  on  the  two  guards);  in  this  method 
the  offensive  players  are  often  bunched  on  one  side  of  the  court  (this 
either  draws  the  defense  over,  or  lets  the  offensive  players  outnumber  the 
defensive  in  the  particular  section  of  the  floor);  4.  By  criss-crossing.  In 
all  these  plays  all  five  men  are  ready  to  be  used  in  the  teamplay. 

Examples  follow: 

Example  of  i. 

Let  the  defense  get  set  and  then  work  the 
ball  down  the  floor  to  it  on  either  side  of  the 
center.  Let  the  man  who  is  the  best  long 
shot,  in  this  case  No.  4,  take  the  ball  and 
shoot  a  long  shot.  His  teammates  should 
rush  through  the  defense  and  try  to  take  the 
ball  off  the  backboard  if  he  fails  to  shoot  the 
basket.  A  team  that  has  on  it  a  player  who 
is  an  exceptionally  good  long  shot  will,  in  a 
number  of  cases,  be  able  to  break  up  the  five- 
men  defense  because  the  first  three  men  in 
the  defense  will  break  toward  the  long-shot  man,  covering  him,  and  he  can 
immediately  start  a  passing  game  as  the  defense  is  scattered  or  broken. 

Examples  of  2. 


4  dribbles  up  to  front  rank,  pivots,  hands  ball  to  i, 
who  goes  through  with  2  beside  him.  4  continues  his 
pivot  so  as  to  block  off  his  own  opponent,  i  shoots 
unless  guard  A  comes  at  him  when  he  passes  to  3,  or 
pivots  and  back-passes  to  2.  The  safety  man  is  5.  If 
the  play  is  made,  he  goes  ahea'd;  if  there  is  a  fumble,  he 
runs  back  as  per  dotted  line. 


102 


BASKET    BALL 


A  play  similar  to  the  previous  one.  3  and  i  criss- 
cross behind  4,  with  3  preceding.  4  pivots  back,  faking 
to  I,  and  then  passing  to  2.  i  blocks.  4  continues  his 
pivot  until  it  becomes  a  block.  If  desired,  4  can  make 
a  double  fake,  first  to  3,  then  to  i.  This  helps  in  getting 
the  middle  opponent  off  balance  and  easier  disposed  of 
when  the  true  play  materializes. 


4  dribbles  up  to  center,  bounce  passes  to  2,  who  has 
circled  around  behind  front  row.  4  keeps  on  going  and 
may  get  a  pass  back  from  2.  3  has  gone  behind  2  and 
is  apt  to  be  loose  if  A  comes  out  after  2,  which  is  apt 
to  be  the  case  where  the  defense  allows  the  first  man  to 
sift  through  for  the  guard  to  take. 


3  gets  first  pass,  pivots  with  his  back  to  opponent. 
Back-passes  to  5.  5  can  bounce  to  i  and  follow  through 
for  a  return  pass  if  i  is  covered.  If  the  pass  cannot  be 
made  to  5,  3  can  back-pass  to  4,  who  takes  a  long  shot 
or  a  dribble  through  if  there  is  an  opening. 


Example  of  3. 

In  case  you  cannot  get  up  the  floor  before  the  oppo- 
nents have  massed  their  defense,  an  effective  play  is  to 
send  three  men  in  behind  their  front  row,  and  advance 
the  ball  to  the  middle  of  the  floor  with  the  guard  only. 
Running  guard  4  tries  to  draw  X  out.  He  will  then 
bounce  or  pass  the  ball  to  3.  3  should  be  free  for  a 
shot;  if  covered  by  XG,  he  passes  to  i;  if  covered  by 
XC,  he  passes  to  one  of  the  guards  who  goes  into  the 
center  opening.  The  one  guard  5  follows  the  dribbler 
so  that  the  latter  may  have  some  one  to  pass  back  to. 
This  play  will  mean  disaster  to  a  team  using  the  space 
defense. 


OFFENSE 


103 


Examples  of  4. 

When  five  men  are  lined  up  in  a  row  across  the  floor  and  are  expected 
to  pick  a  man  and  cover  him,  the  offensive  team  can,  by  criss-crossing  their 

players,  upset  this  style  of  defense. 

If  the  defensive  lineup  is  three  men 
ahead  and  two  back,  the  same  idea  works 
well  when  each  defensive  man  sticks  to  a 
player  and  follows  him  wherever  he  goes. 
The  diagram  illustrates. 

The  offensive  men  criss-cross  in  the 
center  of  the  floor  with  a  very  short  back- 
pass.  When  the  opponents  follow,  it  turns 
out  that  your  men  are  so  close  together 
that  blocking  will  take  place,  so  that  one 
of  your  players  will  have  a  good  chance  of 
being  freed.  In  such  a  case  have  one  of  the 
rear  men  on  the  strong  side  cross  to  the  weak 
as  there  rnay  be  an  open  corner,  i  breaks  out  to  get  the  ball,  gives  to  2 
on  very  short  pass,  i  pivots  at  same  time  and  gets  loose,  trailing  outside 
of  2.  3  crisscrosses, — his  guard  following  will  be  blocked  oflF  by  the  con- 
gestion in  the  middle  of  the  floor.  4  and  5  are  alert  to  break  into  an 
opening  if  needed  as  a  trailer. 


CHAPTER  XII 
Miscellaneous 

1.  Adapted  to  Peculiarities  of  Your  Own  Players 

The  short-pass  game  is  easiest  to  learn,  and  is  especially  adapted  to  a 
new  team  in  the  early  stages  of  its  development.  The  long-pass  game  is 
adapted  to  a  team  which  employs  the  four-men  defense  and  stations  a 
tall,  powerful  man  under  each  basket. 

The  underhand  pass  favors  a  team  composed  of  short  men;  on  the 
other  hand,  tall  players  should  use  the  overhand  pass,  jumping  in  the  air 
to  receive  it  if  necessary  and  keeping  the  ball  over  the  opponents'  heads. 

If  a  team  is  mediocre  in  its  shooting,  but  is  composed  of  strong,  rugged 
players,  it  should  play  a  conservative  type  of  game,  trusting  to  its  defensive 
ability  to  hold  the  opponents  to  a  low  score,  so  that  but  a  few  baskets  will 
be  needed  to  win.  The  opposite  would  apply  to  a  team  composed  of  good 
shots.  Such  a  team  can  well  afford  to  "open  up"  on  the  theory  that  a 
strong  offense  is  the  best  defense,  inasmuch  as  the  opponents  cannot 
score  when  they  are  not  in  possession  of  the  ball. 

Only  a  team  of  strong,  rugged  players  can  stand  the  physical  strain 
required  by  the  five-men  massed  defense,  in  which  a  maximum  of  effort 
is  needed  in  carrying  the  ball  up  the  floor  and  sweeping  back  quickly  on 
the  defense.  Slight  men  had  better  choose  a  style  of  defense  which  will 
allow  quicker  opportunity  to  score  after  the  change  to  offense. 

When  the  center  is  the  only  tall  man  on  the  team,  he  should  play 
the  middle  of  the  floor,  in  order  to  be  most  effective  in  teamwork,  and  also, 
when  on  defense,  to  be  able  to  break  up  the  passes  of  the  opponents. 

If  the  center  is  not  a  good  jumper,  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  to 
develop  an  assortment  of  tip-off  plays.  It  would  be  far  better  for  his  team 
to  work  up  a  strong  center-defense. 

If  a  particular  player  is  a  good  shot,  but  poor  in  passing  and  teamwork 
in  general,  it  would  be  well  to  employ  a  four-men  defense,  stationing  this 
player  beneath  his  own  basket. 

The  tip-off  plays  should  be  selected  and  arranged  according  to  the 
physical  peculiarities  of  the  players.  For  instance,  if  the  guards  are  slow 
and  poor  shots,  it  would  be  unwise  to  select  any  forward  to  guard  plays. 
The  forward  plays  and  the  guard-up  plays  would  be  the  ones  to  choose. 
If  the  center  is  a  good  jumper  but  weak  on  offense,  it  is  well  to  let  him 
drop  back  after  the  tip-off,  exchanging  places  with  one  of  the  guards. 

2.  Adapted  to  Peculiarities  of  the  Floor 

On  a  small  floor,  it  is  almost  suicidal  to  attempt  long  passes.  The  same 
applies  to  dribbling.  Short,  snappy  passes  are  needed,  with  the  constant 
use  of  feints  and  pivots.    Shooting  should  be  attempted  from  all  parts  of 

104 


MISCELLANEOUS  105 

the  floor,  as  there  is  little  chance  to  develop  teamwork.  This  type  of  floor 
is  responsible  for  the  popularity  of  the  man-to-man  style  of  game,  which 
is  found  at  its  best  on  such  a  court,  there  being  but  little  running  possible. 
Another  reason  why  the  above  defense  is  well  adapted  to  this  kind  of  a 
court  is  that  it  is  possible  for  an  opponent  to  score  from  any  part  of  the 
floor,  and  he  must  therefore  be  guarded  closely  at  all  times.  If  the  massed 
defense  is  used  on  a  small  floor  the  front  rank  must  be  stationed  well  ahead 
of  center. 

On  courts  where  the  ceiling  is  low,  the  massed  five-men  defense  works 
well,  as  the  opponents  will  find  it  impossible  to  arch  the  long  shots  over  the 
heads  of  the  defense. 

On  a  long,  narrow  floor  two  guards  should  always  be  played  well  back, 
because  if  the  opponents  make  a  long  pass,  the  one  guard  could  not  hold 
up  the  play  until  his  teammates  could  come  to  his  support.  An  additional 
reason  is  that  the  narrowness  of  the  court  prevents  the  effective  use  of  the 
fourth  man  on  offense  except  as  a  trailer.  Dribbling  is  easily  checked  on 
a  narrow  floor. 

The  possibilities  of  basket  ball  are  best  realized  on  a  court  which  is 
long,  and  yet  wide  and  open,  as  it  allows  the  use  of  the  long  pass  as  well 
as  the  short;  it  gives  room  for  clever  dribbling;  both  long  and  short  shots; 
and  does  not  favor  any  particular  style  of  play  to  the  exclusion  of  others. 

3.   Adapted  to  the  Peculiarities  of  the  Opponents'  Play 

In  sizing  up  the  peculiarities  of  the  opponents'  style  of  play,  it  is 
perhaps  easiest  to  determine  the  nature  of  their  defensive  tactics.  The 
methods  of  defense  have  become  fairly  well  standardized. 

As  soon  as  you  feel  fairly  sure  as  to  their  general  plan  of  defense,  you 
should  plan  your  attack  to  take  advantage  of  the  weak  points  which  are 
usually  inherent  in  any  given  style  of  defense,  and  which  have  already  been 
discussed  at  length. 

On  tip-off  plays,  you  should  watch  the  opponents  to  see  how  their 
guards  play  and  then  adapt  your  center  signals  accordingly  to  the  methods 
discussed  under  the  forward,  forward-to-guard,  and  guard-up  plays. 

The  offensive  tactics  of  an  opposing  team  are  not  always  easy  to  dis- 
cover. However,  it  will  soon  be  apparent  as  to  whether  the  opponents 
have  a  well-rounded  team,  or  whether  their  play  is  built  around  a  "star" 
performer.  In  this  latter  case,  your  defense  must  be  changed  to  check  this 
player  at  all  hazards.  He  must  be  so  closely  watched  that  he  will  have  no 
openings  from  which  to  attempt  to  score.  It  is  well  to  assign  two  men  to 
the  duty  of  watching  such  a  player.  Both  men  should  run  toward  him  at 
the  moment  the  opponents  get  the  ball.  The  one  nearest  him  will  call  out, 
''I'll  take  him,"  or  indicate  in  some  way  that  he  intends  to  cover  the  man 
in  question.  The  other  guard  can  then  cover  some  other  opponent.  Thus 
it  is  not  necessary  for  two  men  to  actually  guard  the  one  opponent,  but 
this  plan  makes  it  certain  that  you  will  always  have  some  one  near  enough 


106  BASKET    BALL 


0 


to  cover  him  quickly  and  eifectively.  This  will  also  prevent  the  opponents 
from  working  an  effective  blocking  system  in  favor  of  their  star  player. 

Another  thing  that  can  be  quickly  perceived  is  whether  the  opponents 
work  the  ball  down  the  center  or  down  the  edges  of  the  court.  In  either 
case  the  defense  can  be  modified  to  check  the  particular  style  of  play,  as 
explained  in  the  chapter  on  defense. 

When  the  opponents  are  using  the  criss-cross  play  before  reaching 
the  center  of  the  court,  the  five-men  massed  defense  should  be  moved 
out  to  break  it  up  before  it  gets  under  way,  at  least  the  middle  man  of  the 
defensive  front  row  should  be  advanced  from  his  ordinary  position. 

Against  the  long-pass  style  of  play,  the  following  tactics  are  all  valuable. 
First,  keep  two  guards  back,  the  running  guard  being  very  careful  about 
going  past  the  middle  of  the  floor  and  then  going  back  under  the  basket 
whenever  the  standing  guard  leads  out  to  break  up  a  pass;  second,  have  the 
opposing  back  guard  covered  so  closely  that  he  has  trouble  in  getting  a 
good  pass  away;  third,  have  the  men  break  for  the  defense  very  quickly, 
keeping  to  the  middle  of  the  floor  so  as  to  meet  the  opponents'  forwards 
when  they  break  from  the  sidelines;  lastly,  cover  their  standing  forward 
closely.  The  man  covering  the  standing  forward  should  keep  between 
him  and  the  basket,  and  should  follow  the  latter  out  to  meet  the  long  pass. 
A  tall  guard  can  break  up  the  pass  if  he  times  the  play  right.  A  short 
guard  will  have  trouble  and  his  best  play  is  to  alternate  his  tactics,  now 
leading  out  to  meet  the  pass,  and  again  feinting  out  only.  This  feint  will 
deceive  his  opponent  into  tipping  the  ball  to  the  sideline;  and  the  guard, 
by  fast  work,  can  be  on  the  receiver  at  the  moment  he  recovers  the  ball. 

Against  a  team  using  the  three-men-abreast  and  the  short  push-pass 
style  of  play,  place  a  man  on  the  middle  man  of  this  trio.  If  he  is  closely 
guarded,  the  play  will  be  broken  up. 

Against  a  team  that  follows  up  the  rebounds  hard,  use  a  fairly  long 
pass  to  start  your  oflFense.  If  the  opponents  are  weak  at  the  follow-up,  it  is 
evident  that  a  short  pass  or  dribble  will  be  practical  in  starting  the  team- 
play  away  from  the  bank. 

Against  a  team  known  to  be  very  weak  in  shooting,  it  is  good  strategy 
to  play  a  five-men  oflFense. 

Team  A  is  playing  team  B,  and  knows  that  team  B  plays  a  man-to-man 
defense,  and  builds  its  oflFense  about  one  star  floorman  and  shot.  One 
plan  that  team  A  may  use  to  upset  team  B  is  to  put  the  player  who  is 
pitted  against  this  star  opponent  up  under  his  own  basket  as  standing  for- 
ward. The  chances  are  that  he  will  be  able  to  get  many  free  shots,  so 
many  that  the  star  opponent  will  have  to  restrict  his  off'ensive  value; 
either  that  or  the  opponents  will  have  to  alter  their  defensive  tactics. 

If  it  is  apparent  that  the  opponents  are  in  the  habit  of  starting  their 
teamwork  with  a  pass  to  a  particular  player,  it  is  well  to  try  to  break 
up  their  play  at  the  outset  by  anticipating  the  pass  and  trying  hard  to 
intercept  it. 


MISCELLANEOUS  107 

When  a  team  knows  it  is  to  be  pitted  against  a  team  that  plays  a-low- 
score  game,  extra  practice  should  be  given  to  foul  shooting,  as  this  will  be 
an  important  factor  when  the  score  is  low. 

The  substitutes  should  have  it  impressed  on  them  that  they  are  to 
watch  closely  the  opponent's  play,  so  that  in  the  event  of  their  being  put 
into  the  game,  they  may  be  better  prepared  to  take  due  advantage  of  every 
move  of  the  opponents. 

4.    Progress  of  the  Game 

At  the  beginning  of  a  game  against  a  team  whose  tactics  are  un- 
familiar to  him,  the  coach  is  often  confronted  by  the  question  as  to  whether 
it  is  better  to  play  "safe"  until  the  opponents  have  shown  their  strength 
or  to  open  up  with  a  rush,  trying  to  get  the  "jump." 

A  team  which  plays  a  steady,  consistent  game  had  better  try  to  check 
the  first  rushes  of  the  opponents,  knowing  that  after  its  players  have  dis- 
covered the  latter's  weak  and  strong  points,  they  will  have  the  reserve 
power  to  wear  down  the  opponents,  and  by  increasing  their  own  offensive 
strength,  make  a  strong  finish. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  team  that  is  brilliant,  but  erratic  and  easily  dis- 
couraged, will  always  play  best  while  holding  a  lead.  Its  policy  should 
be  to  start  the  game  with  a  rush,  opening  up  everything  in  the  attempt  to 
disconcert  the  opponent. 

A  team  that  starts  the  game  off  form  should  emphasize  defensive  work 
until  it  begins  to  strike  its -true  stride.  Its  early  offensive  play  should  be 
very  deliberate,  especially  if  the  opponents  mass  their  defense. 

Do  not  allow  a  team  which  has  a  lead  at  the  end  of  the  first  half  to  feel 
over-confident  arid  relax  its  efforts. 

Late  in  the  game,  if  ahead  a  few  points,  be  extra  careful  in  regard  to 
fouling. 

Late  in  the  game,  if  a  team  has  a  small  lead,  it  should  endeavor  to  keep 
possession  of  the  ball  by  passing  around  among  its  members  as  much  as 
possible,  and  not  taking  any  chances  on  losing  the  ball  by  long  shots  at  the 
basket.  •  One  precaution  to  be  noted  when  keeping  the  ball  in  this  way  is 
not  to  pass  the  ball  back  and  forth  under  the  opponents'  basket,  where  an 
interception  might  prove  fatal.  Rather  keep  the  ball  to  one  corner.  Quite 
often  the  opponents  will  be  drawn  clear  out  of  their  defense,  and  it  will 
be  easy  to  run  a  man  down  the  floor  for  a  long  pass  and  open  shot.  In  case 
the  opponents  gain  possession  of  the  ball,  play  a  strong  five-men  massed 
defense. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  are  behind,  make  desperate  efforts  to  get 
possession  of  the  ball  so  that  you  will  have  a  chance  to  shoot.  Any  form  of 
massed  defense  is  poor  policy  in  this  instance,  as  it  gives  the  opponents  a 
chance  to  pass  and  "stall."  The  man-to-man  defense  will  be  much  better 
here,  as  you  will  then  have  men  charging  the  opponents  to  take  the  ball 
from  them.    Each  man  must  stick  to  one  particular  opponent  and  not 


108  BASKET     BALL 


change  ofF.    When  you  recover  the  ball,  take  chances  on  using  everyone 
in  the  offense. 

Some  teams  work  up  offensive  plays  following  the  toss-up  from  held 
balls.  Many  of  these  are  impractical  when  it  comes  to  working  them  in  the 
actual  game.  The  simplest  plan,  and  the  one  most  dependable  in  these 
situations,  is  to  play  an  entirely  defensive  game  in  the  opponents'  half 
of  the  floor,  and  to  play  one  of  the  center  defense  formations  when  in  your 
own  scoring  half.  The  center  formation,  with  one  man  ahead  and  one  be- 
hind the  jumper,  is  used  by  many  teams,  and  is  easy  to  remember  because  as 
a  general  rule  only  the  center  and  two  forwards  are  involved,  and  they  can 
interchange,  depending  on  which  happens  to  be  the  jumper. 

If  the  play  happens  to  be  in  the  defensive  half  of  the  floor,  the  jumper 
should  try  to  tip  the  ball  toward  the  nearest  sideline,  for  even  though  the 
opponents  should  recover  the  ball,  they  are  put  in  a  poor  scoring  position. 

Sometimes  a  held  ball  will  be  called  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the  op- 
ponents' basket,  with  a  tall  opponent  jumping  against  a  short  man  of  your 
side.  A  good  plan  in  this  case  is  to  place  a  tall  player  between  the  jumpers 
and  the  basket.   He  can  block  the  ball  in  case  it  is  tipped  toward  the  basket. 

If  things  are  going  badly,  take  ''time  out."  Have  the  men  stand  up 
or  sit  in  a  circle,  as  this  keeps  them  from  relaxing  too  much,  and  also  gives 
the  impression  that  they  are  fresh  and  still  in  the  game  to  the  last  minute. 
In  such  conferences  have  the  men  coached  to  find  out  which  of  the  follow- 
ing things  is  causing  their  defensive  weakness:  inaccurate  passing;  slow- 
ness in  breaking  back  to  defensive  position;  running  guard  not  staying 
back  far  enough;  changing  off,  instead  of  sticking  to  the  one  particular 
man,  or  having  men  bunched  against  you  if  you  are  playing  a  position 
defense;  failure  to  talk  and  signal  each  individual's  intentions  to  one 
another;  missing  easy  shots;  overrunning  the  rebound. 

When  you  are  in  the  midst  of  a  rally,  keep  the  play  at  top  speed.  Do 
not  stop  for  any  trivial  reason. 

If  winning  easily,  a  good  forethought  is  to  let  your  weakest  shooters 
take  all  the  chances  possible  to  make  baskets.  This  throws  future  op- 
ponents off  when  they  read  box  scores  of  the  game. 

See  that  the  players  are  standing  back  from  the  sideline,  and  especially 
the  endline,  when  throwing  the  ball  in  from  out  of  bounds.  Many  blocked 
passes  will  be  avoided. 

Unless  the  team  is  versatile,  do  not  let  the  forwards  take  the  ball  out  of 
bounds  in  the  defensive  half  of  the  floor. 

The  home  team  usually  has  a  favorite  basket.  If  its  players  have  come 
on  the  floor  first,  the  chances  are  that  they  will  practice  on  the  less  favored 
basket,  figuring  that  the  visitors  will  take  the  other  basket  the  first  half. 
This  saves  the  desired  basket  to  the  home  team  for  the  second  half. 

It  is  all  important  to  have  a  good  scorer  and  timekeeper  for  the  game. 
Too  often,  persons  are  picked  from  the  crowd  for  these  duties,  and  argu- 
ments arise  which  the  referee  has  trouble  in  deciding. 


/\^ 


MISCELLANEOUS  109 


5.    General 

Do  not  argue  with  the  officials  on  questions  of  their  judgment.  They 
have  no  basis  for  changing  a  decision  unless  it  is  contrary  to  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  rules.  In  that  case,  the  captain  has  every  right  to 
protest.  Constant  bickering  with  the  officials  makes  for  a  slow  game. 
The  crowd  wants  to  see  the  fast,  uninterrupted  game  every  time.  The  good 
official  will  realize  that  the  faster  he  can  keep  the  game  the  less  chance 
there  will  be  for  arguments  to  arise. 

The  umpire  can  help  the  referee  in  three  ways.  First,  by  checking 
vpersonal  fouls  that  the  referee  misses,  allowing  the  referee  to  feel  free  to 
follow  the  ball  closer;  second,  by  watching  illegal  play  on  jump  balls;  and 
third,  by  calling  out  of  bounds  when  a  player's  person  goes  over  the  line. 
In  regards  to  the  last  point  it  should  be  noted  that  the  umpire  should 
not  call  thrown  balls  "out  of  bounds,''  as  in  such  a  case  the  two  officials 
are  apt  to  call  different  decisions. 

The  coach  should  have  a  separate  watch  at  his  playing  bench  so  as  to 
keep  closely  in  touch  with  the  course  of  the  game.  This  will  be  a  help  to 
him  in  planning  his  substitutions  and  strategy. 

The  coach  should  study  the  game  rather  than  watch  the  progress  of 
the  ball.  His  duty  is  not  so  much  to  see  the  game  from  the  spectator's 
angle  as  to  study  team  and  individual  tactics  so  as  to  be  able  to  advise 
his  men. 

The  coach  should  not  try  to  give  inspirational  talks  before  every 
game.  This  makes  his  talk  an  old  story,  and  the  players  will  not  be  nearly 
so  much  impressed  as  if  he  makes  such  occasions  few  and  saves  them  for 
the  real  important  games  only. 

The  coach  with  green  players  needs  to  give  them  confidence  before  the 
big  games  rather  than  technical  instructions  which  they  will  be  apt  to  for- 
get in  their  excitement. 

Do  not  criticize  players  immediately  after  a  close,  hard-fought  game 
At  no  time  should  players  be  criticized  for  mistakes  brought  on  by  in- 
experience, or  for  being  off  form  in  shooting.  The  criticisms  should  come 
for  loafing,  for  failure  to  follow  instructions,  or  for  the  bonehead  play 
caused  by  carelessness  of  attention  when  instructions  are  being  given. 

Lastly,  the  coach  should  remember  the  asset  of  sportsmanship  in  a  game. 
A  good  coach  is  not  an  easy  loser,  but  on  the  other  hand  he  will  not  want 
to  win  unfairly.  When  he  loses,  there  is  nothing  to  be  gained  through 
alibis.  The  score  stands,  and  he  should  take  the  breaks  gamely.  The 
coach  cannot  expect  to  win  all  the  time — especially  if  the  rivals  are  worth 
while  and  the  kind  to  be  desired  for  long-standing  relationship.  In  the 
long  run  a  coach's  reputation  will  stand  on  his  sportsmanship  as  much  as 
on  winning  or  losing. 


Jt' 


. —  —^^-n  -r  A  an*  "nATT*. 

14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below, 
or  on  the  date  to  which  renewed.  Renewals  only: 

Tel.  No.  642-3405 
Renewals  may  be  made  4  days  prior  to  date  due. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


«  m,u>mzn^n,^A 


JAN  2  0  1979 


REC,  CIR.    FEB  2 

1 

1S79 

M981 

r\v 

■  "•')  V,   •     ^MU 

LD2lA-50m-2,'71 
(P200l8l0)476 — A-32 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


LD31-100m-12,'43  (8796s) 


YC  27489 


t     <      /^  'M. 


